It seems that Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi has a tough task on his hands in Uttar Pradesh.
Mr Modi, who had given his word to keep criminals out of the Lok Sabha, will now find that a good number of criminals from Uttar Pradesh belong to his own party.
The BJP’s sweeping success in the state may have kept other criminals out however those within the BJP have managed to win on the Modi wave.
Sachchidanand Sakshi Maharaj, for instance, won the Unnao seat, is facing a number of criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, robbery provoking communal disharmony, dacoity etc. He appear on television screens headlines last year in the murder of his own acolyte Sujata Varma and had earlier been charged of raping one Durga Bharti who stayed in his ashram.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is elected from Kaiserganj is facing accusation related to attempt to murder, robbery and dacoity and causing communal disharmony. He was also a charged in case related to giving shelter to members of the Dawood Ibrahim gang.
There have been a highest number of criminal cases against Rama Shankar Katheria, the BJP MP from Agra. He is facing 21 cases.
“We will see if Mr Modi has the courage to initiate action against his own MPs. He has made tall claims and now the time has come to fulfil those promises,” SP Minister Shivpal Yadav said.