VARANASI: The zila panchayat poll results of Araziline block, which houses Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted Jayapur village, have produced severe jolt to the Bhartiya Janata Party as it failed to open its account in this block.

However, before celebrating the first anniversary of its adoption by the PM the Jayapur natives gave him a gift by ensuring victory of party’s candidates for block development council (BDC) membership from two wards (kshetra panchayats) of this model village.

The people of sector 5 including Jayapur village of Araziline block produced a strong message for BJP by ensuring defeat of its tainted candidate for the zila panchayat membership.

With the beginning of counting of votes of the panchayat polls for zila panchayat and BDC members in the district on Sunday all eyes were kept on the results of Araziline block as PM’s adopted Jayapur fall in the same area. By late evening on Sunday the BJP camp became jubilant when Madhuri Patel and Kripa Shankar of party emerged victorious from ward-121 and 122 of Jayapur village.

But, by Monday morning when the result of polling for zila panchayat members started coming the scene in party camp started changing as all BJP candidates from seven sectors of Araziline proved to be losers. From sector-V, which covers 18 villages including Jayapur, the BJP candidate Arun Singh alias Rinku lost the election against Ramesh Tiwari alias Guddu Tiwari, who is claimed to be a Bahujan Samaj Party supported candidate.

The candidate selection committee of BJP for panchayat polls was in the eye of storm since the declaration of candidature of Rinku from sector-V due to his criminal background.

According to Mirzamurad police, a total of 12 criminal cases, including three for murder, are registered against Arun. He was also booked under the Gangster and Goonda Acts and had been in jail too. Following this exposure the party leaders tried to defend the decision by mentioning that Arun had joined the BJP recently and party was not aware of his criminal history.

In zila panchayat member election, the sector 5 of Araziline is in the general category while other seats in its vicinity fall under reserved categories. A total of four applications were given to the party organization seeking ticket for contesting this election. Out of the four candidates, only Arun was from the general category. When the party decided to field a candidate from the general category from this sector two others withdrew their claims. That's why he got the ticket, they said.

Even after Arun's defeat, the BJP district chief Nagendra Raghuvanshi could be found claiming that had the party candidates been allowed to contest on single symbol in all wards and sectors not only Arun but many other candidates of party could emerge victorious in Araziline block.