Denied ticket, SP MLA turns rebel; fears threat to life

Denied ticket from his traditional Gyanpur seat, sitting Samajwadi Party MLA Vijay Misra today resigned from the party and said he will contest as a rebel and threatened to queer the pitch of other SP candidates in adjoining areas.
"I will contest from the same seat but whether it would be as Independent or from any other party will be decided in a day or two," he told newsperson here.
The MLA, in whose place SP has reposed faith in former MP Ram Rati Bind, also vowed that he will work against SP nominees on Bhadohi, Sonebhadra, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Kaushambi, Jaunpur and Allahabad and "ensure their defeat".

Misra, a heavyweight who has also contested from jail in the past, claimed that he faced a threat to his life from SP leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav as he knew "many secrets" of Ram Gopal and feared that he could be "eliminated".
He said his wife, Ramlali Misra, who is MLC from Mirzapur-Sonebhadra has informed the President, the Prime Minister and the Election Commission about the threat to his life.
He said his wife has not yet resigned from the party.
Several other SP leaders and workers also announced their resignation from the party along with Vijay Misra.