'Jaichand' jibe & a press note: Jat vs Thakur narrative rears it head in BJP's factional fight in Western UP

A controversy erupted, when a press note, seemingly written on the letterhead of Som, was distributed among the reporters accusing Baliyan of amassing huge wealth during his tenure as a minister.

Lucknow: The simmering 'Jat vs Thakur' fight within the BJP in the western Uttar Pradesh region, which might have cost the saffron party dearly in the Lok Sabha polls also, came to the fore after former union minister Sanjeev Balyan, a Jat, who lost from Muzaffarnagar LS seat, accused senior BJP leader Sangeet Singh Som, a thakur, of working against him and even termed the latter as 'Jaichand' (a Hindu king, who sided with Muslim invader Mohammed Ghori against Pritviraj Chauhan in the battle of Tarain in 1192 AD leading to Chauhan's defeat).

Som hit back saying that Baliyan had himself to blame for his defeat. ''I may have differences with individuals but I will never betray my party....I supported him as he was the party's official nominee,'' Sangeet Som said. ''To become Jainchand is not in my culture,'' he said at a press conference at his residence in Sardhana in Meerut district.

He said that Baliyan had secured votes equal to his rival in Sardhana assembly segment but trailed in Budhana and Charthawal assembly segments in the Lok Sabha constituency which led to his defeat.

A huge controversy, however, erupted, when a press note, which was seemingly written on the letterhead of Som, was distributed among the reporters accusing Baliyan of amassing huge wealth during his tenure as a minister, indulging in corrupt practices, buying a piece of land in Australia and also providing protection to the accused in the murder of a former legislator from Haryana.

Som later said that he had no idea who had distributed the press note and denied having anything to do with the same.

"'It must be a conspiracy hatched by my opponents,'' he added. A complaint was also lodged by Sangeet Som in this regard with the police. The police said that they were investigating the matter.

According to the sources, a Rs 10 crore defamation notice was sent to Sangeet Som by the lawyer of the individual, who was mentioned in the press note as having the one who helped Baliyan buy land in Australia.

The war of words between Baliyan and Som had started before polling in the western UP region and despite efforts by senior BJP leaders, Som did not campaign for Baliyan in the Thakur dominated areas.