VARANASI: After a dismal show in the recently held zila panchayat polls, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Poonam Maurya — daughter-in-law of Akhil Bhartiya Kushwaha Mahasabha former president Motilal Shastri — in the upcoming election for post of zila panchayat chairman in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, Varanasi.
The seat is reserved for an OBC woman candidate and the family is said to be having a sizeable support in the community.
The BJP could secure only eight of the 40 zila panchayat member seats in the zila panchayat polls.
Regarding BJP chances, party state vice-president and in-charge of Varanasi Salil Vishnoi said, “Currently, the party is enjoying support of 25 zila panchayat members.
The numbers will increase by the time of polling.” “BJP announced the candidature of Poonam Maurya for zila panchayat chairperson election from the prestigious Varanasi seat with the consent of state co-in charge Sunil Oza,” said party’s Kashi region unit president Mahesh Chandra Srivastava.
Maurya had won the zila panchayat member election from sector 3 of Kashi Vidyapeeth block as an independent candidate.
Her husband Kunwar Virendra had also been a zila panchayat member in past while his mother-in-law Rukmini Devi had won gram Pradhan election.
Srivastava said, “After winning the election, Maurya joined BJP.
Before finalising her candidature, feedback of party workers had been taken.
Vishnoi, Srivastava and BJP district unit president Hansraj Vishwakarma then unanimously recommended the name of Marya, who holds BSc and BEd degrees,” he added.
Party sources told TOI, “After a dismal show in panchayat polls in which BJP could secure only eight of the 40 zila panchayat member seats, finding a candidate for winning the prestigious zila panchayat chairperson election in PM’s constituency was a challenging task for the party leadership.
The reason: Samajwadi Party (SP) claimed 16 seats while Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) claimed four and three seats, respectively.” However, following confirmation of Maurya’s name, both Bishnoi and Srivastava confident of a ‘a sure victory’ and claiming support of 25 members.
They said, “The figure of zila panchayat members, who will extend support for BJP candidates, will increase by the date of polling on July 3.
Maurya will file her nomination on June 26.” The Varanasi zila panchayat not only houses the PM’s parliamentary constituency but also parts of his cabinet colleague Mahendra Nath Pandey’s Chandauli constituency.