BJP leaders denied party ticket; supporters burn Adityanath's effigy

Gorakhpur: Supporters of discontented Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Thursday staged protest and burnt effigies of fire-brand party leader Yogi Adityanath for his influence over the ticket distribution system.

Few BJP leaders from rural Gorakhpur, Pipraich, Sehjanwan and Chouri-Choura were not given the party tickets and their supporters now held Yogi Adityanath responsible for it.

Few among the protestors were supporters of Ram Bhual Nishad, who was denied the BJP ticket from Rural Gorakhpur.

Anita Jaiswal from Pipraich and Ashwani Choube from Sehjanwa were also denied the BJP ticket for the upcoming UP Assembly Polls 2017.

Nishad, however, has joined the Smajwadi Party on Thursday and was given the ticket from Chillapur constituency.

Uttar Pradesh will go for polls in seven phases begining from Februray 11. The counting of votes will take place on March 11, 2017.