UP Election 2022: Curious case of BJP MLA's 'kidnapping' in Auraiya

Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA's daughter posts a video in which she claims that her uncle and grandmother kidnapped her father. But there seems to be more to the story.

Following the resignation of former Uttar Pradesh government minister Swami Prasad Maurya, a new controversy has landed at BJP's doorsteps from Auraiya. Swami Prasad Maurya's close aide and Bidhuna MLA Vinay Shakya is reportedly missing. On Tuesday, his daughter released a video alleging that her uncle has forcibly taken away her father. The daughter has sought protection from the state government. 

MLA Vinay Shakya's daughter Riya Shakya has accused her uncle, Devesh Shakya and her grandmother of forcibly taking her ailing father to Lucknow. Riya claimed that she and her mother were not being allowed to talk to her father. The video has now gone viral on social media. The disappearance of the BJP MLA comes amid speculations that Swami Prasad Maurya may join Samajwadi Party. In the video, Riya claimed that her father had been on bed rest due to a paralytic attack, and was unable to speak or walk.

At the same time, there are also rumours doing the rounds that Riya may be seeking a BJP election ticket from the Bidhuna assembly seat of Auraiya. Apparently, there is a massive rift within the family over contesting elections. And this is being speculated as being the reason for the latest turn of events. Vinay Shakya has been MLA from Bidhuna seat twice. He was also nominated as MLC once. He has twice been a minister in the BSP government. Shakya had contested his brother Devesh Shakya from Bidhuna seat in 2012 when he was MLC. However, he lost.

According to sources, Devesh Shakya is trying to carry forward the family's political legacy when Vinay is ill. Vinay's daughter Riya has been managing public relations in the Shakya area. When confronted, Riya's uncle Devesh said that his brother lives with his mother and not with his daughter. This (Riya's video) is the handiwork of some other people. "There is no fight or coercion. If my brother wants to go, he can. Otherwise, a case can be filed against me," he said.

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