Uttar Pradesh elections: Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya files nomination from Sirathu seat of Kaushambi

PRAYAGRAJ: Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya filed his nomination papers from Sirathu assembly seat of Kaushambi district, on Thursday.
Maurya filed his nomination in two sets, in the first one he was accompanied by the sitting BJP MLA from Sirathu, Sheetla Prasad and district president of the party, Anita Tripathi and in the second set, BJP’s national president, JP Nadda and Union minister and Apna Dal (S) supremo Anupriya Patel accompanied him at district collectorate of kaushambi.
After filing the nominations, the senior leaders of BJP along with state in charge and Union minister for education, Dharmendra Pradhan along with MP from Allahabad and Kaushambi were also present at a public meeting.
Prior to reaching the collectorate to file his nomination, the Deputy CM visited Kada dham temple of the district and worshiped goddess Sheetla, considered to be one of the sidhpeeth of goddess Durga.
Earlier, he performed puja at this residence along with his wife before leaving for the temple.
Thereafter, he proceeded towards the collectorate as a large number of party supporters lined up at both sides of the road.
Maurya also thanked them by waving his hand and showing victory signs. With a smile on his face, he asked his supporters, did they have anything since morning and when the public said ‘No’, he replied, “even I have not taken anything” and everyone clapped.
When asked about his preparations for elections, he said, “It is the voters of Sirathu who are fighting this election as I am Sirthu kaa beta”.
He added that BJP is leading towards a historic win as BJP guarantees security for the 25 crores citizens of the state whereas the opposition makes plans for the poor but later loot them. “If the opposition comes to power, they are a threat to the security of masses”, he said.
After coming from the nomination of Maurya, BJP’s national president JP Nadda said, “I am here with the blessings of crores of BJP supporters and BJP will again form the government. The efforts of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide best of benefits for the state has been implemented well by Maurya and the state government”.
After filing the nominations, Maurya, accompanied by Nadda, Anupriya Patel and BJP MP from Allahabad, Rita Bahuguna Joshi moved towards the venue of a public meeting on top of a truck.
Maurya had won the Sirathu seat for the first time for BJP in 2012. After Maurya got elected MP from Phulpur in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party's Vachaspati had won the Sirathu seat in the resulting by-poll. In 2017, however, BJP's Sheetla Prasad had defeated Vachaspati and won back the seat. Earlier, Keshav Prasad Maurya expressed confidence that BJP will win the Assembly elections even if Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress come together.