A day after BJP MP Sharad Tripathi and party MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel were involved in a shoe fight during a meeting in Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, the two leaders engaged in a fierce war of words on Thursday.

Before leaving for Lucknow after being summoned by the party high command, Sant Kabir Nagar MP Sharad Tripathi, who is also the son of former BJP state president Ramapati Ram Tripathi, alleged that Mehndawal MLA Rakesh Baghel was involved in illegal activities.

“All contracts, including those of sand mining and road construction, are awarded to him (Baghel) or his men as he resorts to pressure tactics. Why only he is getting contracts? Are other contractors dead?” Tripathi asked and said he would report the Baghel’s illegal activities to the leadership.

Baghel, a former member of the Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) and a prominent Thakur leader considered close to CM Yogi Adityanath, however refuted the allegations and said: “All charges against me are baseless. You can check with the officials that I have never forced them for anything.”

Attacking Tripathi, he said there are four MLAs in his parliamentary constituency.

“You ask the MLAs how much work has been done in my area and in his (Tripathi’s) constituency,” he said.

When asked why the tension escalated so much over the mention of names on the stone plaque, Baghel said: “The plaque was for a two-lane road worth Rs 25 crore which was inaugurated on March 5. The plaque was not even put up as its inauguration was to be done by the CM (Yogi Adityanath). Tripathi did not attend the programme. He wants his name but does not want to work.”

Baghel said the MP’s words at the meeting showed his arrogance.

UP BJP president MN Pandey said both the leaders have reached Lucknow. “I will try to make them understand about the indiscipline that we witnessed there and give them strict directions on how to behave.”

First Published: Mar 07, 2019 19:46 IST