PATNA: Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani is in trouble following the party's dismal performance in the assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, the result of which was announced on Thursday. The VIP is an ally of the ruling NDA in Bihar and Sahani is a minister.
Soon after the result of the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh was announced with the saffron party's comfortable win, the BJP MLA from Bisfi Haribhushan Thakur Bachol demanded Sahani's resignation from the minister's post for the latter's outburst against the BJP during campaigning in Uttar Pradesh. “now his chapter is closed in Bihar,” he added.
The BJP MLA said that Sahani should not be allowed to continue as the minister as he had repeatedly said that ousting the BJP from power was his main objective behind contesting the election in Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, he had called upon his supporters to vote for the candidates who were able to defeat the BJP candidates in their respective constituencies.
“How can he enjoy the post of a minister when he made all-out efforts to ensure the defeat of BJP in Uttar Pradesh assembly election? It's another matter that he did not succeed in his mission. Now we will urge the top leadership of the party to work on removal of Sahani from the minister's post as early as possible” he asserted.
The BJP legislator also hinted at a likely coup in the VIP in near future. The VIP chief is not in good humour even with his legislators, he claimed. Sahani's tenure as a member of the legislative council is likely to come to an end in May this year.
The VIP, which had fielded its candidate in 55 constituencies, however, failed to open an account in the 403-member assembly and the majority of the candidates forfeited their security.
Reacting to the results, VIP chief Sahani said, “We fought the election for the rights of the members of the 'nishad' (fishermen) community. Hum raaj karne nahi, adhikar ke liye chunav lad rahen the (I contested the election not to rule but for rights),” he told the media.
VIP chief spokesperson Dev Jyoti also reiterated the party's resolve to continue to fight for the rights of the members of the fishermen community in Bihar, UP, and Jharkhand. “We are down but not out,” he told TNIE over the phone on Thursday. He disclosed that the VIP chief would launch the party in Jharkhand on Friday.