Delhi: BJP’s Meerut candidate and actor Arun Govil’s cryptic tweet on a possible rift in Meerut on Sunday kicked off a row even as he later deleted it and posted a follow-up post on X while revealing the reason for his early departure to Mumbai day after second phase polls concluded.
In his now-deleted tweet, he first wrote on ‘X’, “When someone’s dual character comes to light, it invokes more anger towards oneself than the person, realising how we trusted such an individual with closed eyes. Jai Shri Ram.”
Although the tweet did not explicitly mention any individual, it triggered speculation regarding the internal rifts in the BJP’s Meerut campaign unit. Intensifying the speculation, the renowned actor left for Mumbai just the day after polling took place in Meerut.
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He later tried to clear the air as a few hours later he said, “The party has directed me to Mumbai to fulfil some responsibilities. It is also planning to send me to different places for election campaigning. As soon as that task is finished, I will join you all in Meerut.” In his new post, he also thanked party members, voters, and the media for their support in Meerut.
मेरे मेरठ के सम्मानित मतदाता बहनों- भाइयों और कार्यकर्ताओं
नमस्कार 🙏🏼
होली के दिन 24 मार्च को भारतीय जनता पार्टी ने मेरे नाम की घोषणा की और उनके निर्देश पर 26 मार्च को मैं आपके बीच पहुँच गया। 1 महीना आपके साथ रहकर आपके सहयोग से चुनाव प्रचार किया। चुनाव संपन्न हुआ।
आपके… pic.twitter.com/GuGyF8Pa3Y— Arun Govil (@arungovil12) April 28, 2024
Govil, renowned for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the television series “Ramayana,” was a surprise replacement for three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal. The replacement had already sparked interest and discussion. Govil’s sudden entry into politics, was aimed to use his fame as a cultural icon, that added an element of novelty to the BJP’s campaign in Meerut.
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In contrast, the SP-Congress alliance has pinned its hopes on Dalit candidate Sunita Verma, aiming to capitalise on the Dalit-Muslim demographic. Meanwhile, the BSP has fielded Devvrat Tyagi to appeal to the upper-caste vote bank.
On the day of polling, Meerut saw a voting turnout of 58.7 percent, whereas in 2019 it was recorded to be 64.25 percent, translating to a decrease of 5.55 percentage points.