In its worst performance in Lok Sabha elections since 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saw its seats drop from 63 in 2019 to 33 this time, causing the party to fall short of a majority on its own. Among the most jarring losses was the defeat in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, the nerve center of BJP politics due to its association with the temple town of Ayodhya.

Party leaders quickly convened to identify the reasons behind this shocking loss in the state. As the BJP searches for answers, some candidates have started speaking out about their losses. Sanjeev Balyan has blamed former party MLA Sangeet Som for his defeat.

Balyan, a Jat leader, won the Muzaffarnagar seat in the last two elections and served as a Union Minister in the second Narendra Modi cabinet. This time he was defeated by the Samajwadi Party’s Harendra Singh Malik.

The blame game between Balyan and Som escalated when a press note with Som’s letterhead accused Balyan of rampant corruption. Som has denied issuing such a statement and said that it was fabricated and distributed as part of a conspiracy.

The note accused Balyan of extensive corruption as a Union minister alleging that he had invested in overseas properties, including a plot in Australia, bought with the help of Sanjeev Sehrawat. Balyan has denied these accusations, while Sehrawat sent a defamation notice to Sangeet Som.

The two leaders have been targeting each other since the BJP suffered significant setbacks in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, losing several seats in the western part of the state, including Saharanpur, Kairana, Sambhal, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, and Nagina.

Balyan is hoping that the BJP leadership would take action “against those who openly campaigned for the Samajwadi Party.”

Responding sharply, Rajput leader Sangeet Som defended his role in securing win for the BJP in the Sardhana seat under challenging circumstances. Addressing a press conference, he suggested that Sanjeev Balyan should reflect on the reasons for his electoral defeat.

“I work for the lotus symbol, not for any person. The party gave me the responsibility to ensure victory in Sardhana seat. Despite difficult circumstances, BJP won the seat. He (Balyan) should introspect why he lost the election,” he said.