up-bypolls-results-awaited-after-allegations-of-manipulation

The counting of votes for bypolls to nine Assembly segments in Uttar Pradesh will begin at 8 am on Saturday, with tight security in place, officials confirmed.

 

The bypolls, held on November 20, are being seen as a major political face-off between the ruling BJP and opposition parties, even though the results will not impact the composition of the 403-member state Assembly.

 

The constituencies involved are Meerapur, Kundarki, Sisamau, Katehari, Phulpur, Majhawan, Ghaziabad, Karhal, and Khair.

 

 Intense campaigning was seen from the BJP, Samajwadi Party (SP), and other regional parties. Political tension has risen in the lead-up to the counting, with both the BJP and opposition accusing each other of election malpractices.

 

SP president Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of manipulating the election process, claiming that the opposition’s vigilance had exposed the BJP’s tactics, leading to a decline in its support base.

 

“The BJP’s reliance on corruption, propaganda, and manipulation is the reason for its shrinking support,” Yadav said, urging his supporters to stay alert during the counting process.

 

 Senior SP leaders, including Shivpal Singh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav, claimed that the party would secure five to six seats, despite BJP’s alleged dishonest efforts to influence the outcome.

 

In response, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya dismissed the accusations, calling them baseless. He asserted that the BJP would win decisively, criticising the opposition for promoting negativity. Maurya also emphasised that the country needs development rather than constant allegations.

 

The bypolls come amid allegations from the SP that local police had prevented voters from reaching polling booths. In response to these complaints, the Election Commission acted against five police officers.

 

In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the BJP won the Phulpur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, and Khair seats, while the SP secured Sisamau, Katehari, Karhal, and Kundarki.

 

The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), an SP ally at the time, won Meerapur but has since joined the BJP-led NDA.

 

The Congress, though not contesting, supported the SP, while the BSP, AIMIM, and the Aazad Samaj Party fielded candidates across various seats.