Lakhimpur Kheri violence: BJP brass ticks off Ajay Mishra Teni for his outburst against scribes

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 16

In spite of immense pressure, both inside Parliament and outside, the government and the BJP appears to be standing behind the beleaguered Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, at least for now.

Also read: WATCH: 'Turn your phone off': Ajay Mishra Teni 'abuses' journalists; video viral

Though Mishra has been ticked off by the central leadership for his behaviour with journalists on Wednesday, when he was asked about the additional charges being slapped on his son Ashish, sources add the government is “weighing options considering all factors”.

Party ‘stands by’ union minister

• The BJP appears to be standing behind the beleaguered Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, at least for now
• One of the reasons is to ‘avoid upsetting Brahmins’ in Uttar Pradesh that goes to poll early next year
• There’s another reason —the apparent ‘differences’ between Amit Shah and UP CM Yogi Adityanath

“One cannot say what happens tomorrow, but the probe under the Supreme Court’s directions is on and a father cannot be punished for the actions of his son,” they say.

While one reason, as also expressed by some observers, is to “avoid upsetting Brahmins” in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the sources point to another factor—the apparent “differences” between Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and “intra-party politics” at play.

Surprised at Mishra’s entry in the Modi Cabinet a couple of months ago, a state leader said the new set of charges by the Special Investigating Team in the Lakhimpur Kheri case had made his continuation (as a minister at the Centre) untenable.

Mishra is believed to be close to Home Minister Shah and the development has given Adityanath an edge in UP, they add.

Meanwhile, leaders here also claim the central leadership is not in favour of firing Mishra as the “Lakhimpur Kheri case is sub judice and that the SIT is yet to file its final report”. Mishra’s shocking outburst at journalists was “wrong”, they say, adding that he had been “cautioned”.