In a shocking incident, a video has emerged from Uttar Pradesh showing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sharad Tripathi, 47, and party MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel, 52, exchanging blows at a party meet in UP's Sant Kabir Nagar on Wednesday, March 6. The video has left the ruling BJP embarrassed ahead of the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
In a viral video that has been doing the rounds on the internet, the argument escalated between the two UP BJP lawmakers. At first, Tripathi started hitting Baghel with his footwear, to which Baghel retaliated by slapping the MP. The entire incident was caught on camera after an argument broke out over the placement of names on the foundation stone of a project.
Meanwhile, a police officer came to their rescue and separated the two of them. The incident took place during a meeting of the District Action Plan Committee at the Collectorate where various representatives and officials were also present.
Watch the video here.
#WATCH Sant Kabir Nagar: BJP MP Sharad Tripathi and BJP MLA Rakesh Singh exchange blows after an argument broke out over placement of names on a foundation stone of a project pic.twitter.com/gP5RM8DgId
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2019
The two have reportedly not shared a very cordial relationship in the past as well. An eye witness told a news agency that the incident began with a heated argument between the MP and the MLA which snowballed into a physical fight.
"The meeting was underway when the brawl broke out between the BJP MP and MLA over some issue related to PWD. We could not even complete the meeting. This is highly condemnable. We were trying to discuss things about development, members and officers were also present," the witness reportedly said.
The party is yet to issue a statement regarding the mayhem.
