Lucknow: There will be a straight fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance in the ensuing by-polls to Mainpuri Lok Sabha and two assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will not contest these by-elections. The last day for filing nominations was November 17. The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat has fallen vacant following the death of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav. The elections will be held on December 5 and counting on December 8.
Rampur Sadar and Khatauli assembly seats have fallen vacant because of disqualification of sitting law-makers Azam Khan (SP) and Vikram Singh Saini (BJP) in separate cases.
Although 13 candidates have filed nominations in Mainpuri, the fight is between Dimple Yadav (SP) and Raghuraj Singh Shakya (SP). In Khatauli, the contest is between BjP candidate Rajkumari and Madan Bhaiya of the RLD, an ally of the SP. Fourteen candidates have filed papers from this constituency.
There are only three candidates in Rampur Sadar. They are SP’s Mohd Asim Raja, BJP’s Akash Saxena and Rajender Singh (Independent).
As the BJP is enjoying an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha as well as in the UP Assembly, the adverse results in these by-elections are not going to have any impact on the saffron party. Nevertheless, a victory will boost the morale of the winner in the run-up to the general elections in 2024.
The role of Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) (PSPL) Shivpal Yadav will be keenly watched in Mainpuri by-election from where his daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav has filed nomination. Although Shivpal Yadav has criticised Akhilesh several times, he has asked PSPL workers to support the SP candidate and ensure a comfortable win for his Badi Bahu (elder daughter-in-law).
