Chaos at SP's Gorakhpur press meet as leaders clash over seating

You don’t have any Active Subscription.

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

A press conference of the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Gorakhpur on Saturday (October 3, 2026) was disrupted after supporters of former district president Nagina Sahani and party leader Anshuman Singh allegedly clashed over seating arrangements, party leaders said.

The incident took place around 2:45 p.m. at the Journalists Press Club during a press conference convened by SP district president Brijesh Gautam to brief the media about the party's "Loktantra Bachao Saptah" campaign being held from October 2 to 8.

According to party functionaries present at the venue, an argument broke out after Mr. Anshuman Singh, who is seeking an SP ticket from the Gorakhpur Rural Assembly constituency for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, arrived at the packed hall with his supporters and sought seating space.

The argument soon escalated into a scuffle, during which Sahani was allegedly slapped by Mr. Kamlesh Singh, the son of Mr. Anshuman Singh.

Party functionaries and senior leaders intervened and separated the two groups. A video purportedly showing the incident later surfaced on social media.

Mr. Anshuman Singh claimed the controversy was being used to tarnish his image and alleged that political rivals within the party were attempting to create an unnecessary controversy.

Sahani, however, accused Mr. Anshuman Singh's supporters of misbehaviour, assault and intimidation. He also alleged that some people had entered the venue carrying illegal weapons.

Gautam said the matter would be brought to the notice of SP president Akhilesh Yadav and that further action would be decided by the party leadership.

Local SP leader Kajal Nishad termed the incident "regrettable" and appealed to party workers to maintain restraint.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.