News Brief
Kuldeep Negi
Oct 12, 2024, 01:00 PM | Updated 01:00 PM IST
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Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Yogesh Verma was attacked in Lakhimpur and the video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
The video shows local Bar Association President Avdhesh Singh slapping Verma, followed by his supporters dragging the MLA.
Although police officers were present at the scene, they were unable to intervene.
The confrontation took place amid preparations for the upcoming Urban Cooperative Bank Management Committee elections.
Tensions escalated after a letter surfaced from district BJP President Sunil Singh and MLA Yogesh Verma, requesting a postponement of the election.
However, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Sanjay Singh confirmed that the election would proceed as scheduled, Zee News reported.
However, ADM Sanjay Singh reportedly confirmed that the election would continue as scheduled.
The assault took place at the Cooperative Bank office, where two rival groups, headed by outgoing chairperson Pushpa Singh and former chairperson Manoj Agrawal, were gearing up for the elections.
The confrontation escalated after Verma accused lawyers of tearing the nomination papers of Raju Agrawal, a candidate supported by Manoj Agrawal, sparking the physical altercation between him and Avdhesh Singh.
The election, involving around 12,000 eligible shareholders, is slated for 14 October.
Despite the rising tensions, ADM Sanjay Singh reassured the public that the election will be conducted fairly.
Meanwhile, MLA Verma’s claims of election fraud have further intensified the controversy surrounding the polls.
Kuldeep is Senior Editor (Newsroom) at Swarajya. He tweets at @kaydnegi.