By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP leadership are facing biggest challenge to retain seats won by the party in the 2022 assembly polls during the coming by-elections to 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. Ten assembly seats going for by-elections are Karhal, Milkipur, Sishamau, Kaktheri, Majawan, Kundarki, Khair, Phulpur, Ghaziabad and Meerapur.
It would be worth mentioning here that by-elections will for nine assembly seats as MLAs got elected to Lok Sabha while one seat was lying vacant due to conviction of SP MLA in a criminal case. After the poor performance of BJP in the recent Lok Sabha polls in UP, party high command has taken these by-elections very seriously.
More than dozen ministers have been assigned duties in various constituencies to look after the mobilisation of voters and campaign for party candidates. BJP leadership has employed various wings of the Sangh Parivar to work for the party candidates. The selection of candidates and identification of local issues is being carried out.
In order to counter the social engineering of INDIA alliance in general and Samajwadi Party in particular BJP is also wooing backward communities in a big way. It may be noted that Samajwadi Party surprised everybody with successfully implementation of PDA (backwards, dalits and minorities) in ticket distribution as per the requirement of the constituency.
Out of 10 seats going for by-elections, BJP had won only three while one was NDA alliance partners Nishad Party and one by RLD. It may be noted during 2022 assembly polls, RLD was in alliance with Samajwadi Party.
The morale of Samajwadi Party, which had won five out 10 assembly seats going for by-polls, is very high after spectacular victory in Lok Sabha polls. Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi have great understanding which was visible during Lok Sabha polls. Now both the leaders have announced that the alliance will contest the by-polls and later on assembly poll in 2027.
Congress Party has already asked Party leaders to start campaign in all the 10 assembly seats. Congress Party is keen to contest in at least three seats. UPCC president Ajay Rai said that party leaders would discuss the issue of seats with alliance partner Samajwadi Party this week.
Stakes are high in Karhal assembly seat in Mainpuri vacated by Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav who defeated BJP’s SP Singh Baghel who later on got elected to Lok Sabha and is minister in NDA government. Akhilesh Yadav is likely to field his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav from this constituency.
Another important election is going to be in Milkipur assembly seat vacated by sitting MLA Awadesh Pasi who surprised the nation with spectacular victory in Ayodhya Lok Sabha seat by defeating two term sitting MP Lalloo Singh. BJP would like to wrest this seat from SP to avenge defeat in Ayodhya.
BJP is under pressure from NDA partners for more seats in the by-elections. Nishad party has already announced its claim on two seats. Similarly RLD is also mounting pressure for more seats.
It is for chief minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP high Command to deal with alliance partners in ticket distribution to prevent internal sabotage. The entire country is watching the by-elections for 10 assembly seats in UP as the results will set the mood for 2027 assembly polls. (IPA Service)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
