Affidavits reveal love for firearms among candidates across parties in UP

More and more politicians are now displaying their love for firearms. A scrutiny of affidavits filed by candidates in Lucknow and Prayagraj reveals their penchant for weapons.

Former joint director of Enforcement Directorate (ED), Rajeshwar Singh, 48, who is now the BJP candidate from Sarojini Nagar assembly segment, owns a pistol and a rifle, while his wife, IG Laxmi Singh, also has a rifle, besides a pistol gifted by the Ministry of Home Affairs for being best probationer in 2000.

Sushila Saroj, 71, the Samajwadi Party candidate from Mohanlalganj, has a double barrel gun, one rifle and a pistol purchased from MP quota. Her husband, Ram Prakash Saroj, also owns a double barrel, a revolver and a carbine.

BJP MLA from Malihabad, Jai Devi, wife of Union Minister of State Kaushal Kishore, has one pistol, while her son also has a pistol.

In Prayagraj, Apna Dal (S) candidate from Pratappur seat Rakesh Dhar Tripathi owns a rifle and a revolver worth Rs 2 lakh, while SP candidate from Pratappur, Vijama Yadav, also has a rifle worth Rs two lakh and a double-barrel rifle worth Rs 40,000.

Similarly, the BJP candidate from Allahabad South and UP Cabinet Minister Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi' owns a rifle, a pistol and a gun worth Rs 3 lakh. His wife and Prayagraj mayor, Abhilasha Gupta Nandi, also own a rifle, a pistol and a gun worth Rs 3 lakh.

Congress candidate from Allahabad North and four-time MLA, Anugrah Narain Singh, owns a revolver worth Rs 50,000 and a Mauser pistol worth Rs 40,000. His wife Gita Singh owns a .25 bore pistol and a .22 bore rifle costing Rs 27,700 each.

BJP MLA and candidate from Allahabad North seat Harsh Vardhan Bajpai also has a 9mm pistol costing Rs 2 lakh, and a single-barrel 12 bore rifle worth Rs 1 lakh.

BSP candidate from Allahabad South, Devendra Mishra Nagarha too has a revolver and double-barrel rifle, while Raish Chandra Shukla of SP, fighting elections from the same seat, has a revolver.

BSP candidate from Koraon assembly seat, Rajbali Jaiwsal and Congress candidate from the same seat, Ram Kripal have three weapons each. They have a revolver, a rifle and a double-barrel gun.

Apna Dal (S) candidate from Bara, Vachaspati, also has a double-barrel gun, a rifle and a revolver. His wife, too, has a pistol.

--IANS

amita/skp/