Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal on Saturday congratulated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on BJP’s victory in the Zila Panchayat Chairperson election. Nehwal’s comment prompted a reaction from RLD president Jayant Chaudhary who called her “sarkaari shuttler”. BJP backed candidates won on 67 of 75 posts. 

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“Hearty congratulations for thumping victory in Zila Panchayat Chairperson election in UP @myogiadityanath sir,” Nehwal tweeted. 

Only an hour-and-a-half later Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Jayant Chaudhary issued a sharp response.

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“Sarkaari shuttler recognises BJP skill in smashing peoples’ verdict! I think voters need to play a subtle drop shot on celebs trying to influence their decisions!” he tweeted. 

Saina Nehwal had joined the BJP ahead of the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections. The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Jansatta Dal and an independent candidate won a seat each. The Bahujan Samaj Party did not participate in the local election. Yadav’s RLD party had taken 60 of the 75 seats in 2016.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday alleged that the BJP “kidnapped” voters and used “force” to stop them from voting.

“To convert its defeat into victory, the BJP got the voters kidnapped, used force with the help of police and administration to stop them from voting,” the SP chief alleged in a party release.The BJP made a mockery of all democratic norms, something not seen earlier,” he said. 

The SP chief further went on to accuse the ruling party of making a mockery of the elections, saying it is strange that while most results in the polls for the district panchayat members were in favour of his party, the BJP gained in the contest for the district panchayat chief.