DEHRADUN: A birthday celebration for former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Sanjay Gupta in Laksar, Haridwar, has triggered a political controversy after he warned voters of dire consequences if they did not support him despite using drinking water supplied through projects undertaken during his tenure.
Addressing a gathering of BJP workers and supporters, Gupta highlighted development works carried out while he represented the Laksar Assembly constituency, including projects aimed at addressing drinking water shortages.
Gupta said water tanks had been constructed in areas where residents had earlier depended on groundwater that was available at a depth of around 20 feet and was allegedly contaminated.
"I gave people clean water," Gupta said. He then appealed to voters, saying, "If you drink my water and do not vote for me, you will get worms in your stomach and your stomach will burst."
The remark drew attention at the gathering, while a video of his speech subsequently circulated on social media, triggering criticism and debate in political circles ahead of the next Uttarakhand Assembly election.
Gupta used the event to highlight what he described as his efforts to improve basic amenities in the constituency during his tenure from 2012 to 2022. He cited road, electricity and drinking water projects in several villages, including Mahatoli, and said administrative interventions had helped address longstanding civic issues.
Former Uttarakhand cabinet minister Swami Yatishwaranand and Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri were among the BJP leaders and religious figures who attended the celebration. Party office-bearers, workers and local supporters also congratulated Gupta on his birthday.
Gupta won the Laksar seat in the 2012 Assembly election and retained it in 2017. However, he lost the constituency in the 2022 election to Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Mohammad Shahzad.