The upcoming by-elections in Uttar Pradesh have garnered significant attention, especially considering the BJP's underwhelming performance in the recent general elections. Adding to the political intrigue are reports of internal discord within the state BJP unit, further intensifying the stakes of these by-polls.
The by-polls will be held on nine seats against the vacant 10 seats as the election in the Milkipur assembly constituency in Ayodhya has been deferred due to impending court case
The by-elections will take place in Karhal, Katehari, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Meerapur, Phulpur, Majhawan, and Sisamau. Of these ten seats, four are currently held by the Samajwadi Party (SP), while the RLD and Nishad Party each hold one seat, and the BJP controls the remaining three.
Polling in all these constituencies will be held on November 13 and results would be declared on November 23.
In a bid to ensure a strong showing, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has deployed 16 senior ministers from his government to oversee the BJP’s campaign efforts in these constituencies.
“For the BJP, these by-elections present a crucial opportunity to consolidate its position in Uttar Pradesh, but they also pose challenges in maintaining smooth relations within the alliance, particularly with the Nishad Party. Negotiations over seat-sharing remain a point of contention, adding further pressure on the ruling coalition,” political analyst Manoj Bhadra said.
Opposition strategy:
The Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, has teamed up with the Congress for the by-elections. The SP has so far announced candidates in five constituencies, with speculation suggesting that it may allocate two seats to Congress as part of their alliance. The Congress had asked for 5 seats. Despite discord over seat sharing the partnership between SP=Congress is seen as a strategic counterbalance to the BJP-led coalition.
According to the SP’s candidate list, Tej Pratap Yadav will contest from Karhal, a seat vacated by SP President Akhilesh Yadav after his Lok Sabha election victory from Kannauj. Naseem Solanki, wife of jailed SP leader Irfan Solanki, will contest from Sisamau in Kanpur. Other candidates include Mustafa Siddiqui from Phulpur (Prayagraj), Shobhavati Verma from Katehari, and Jyoti Bind from Majhwan.
Shobhavati Verma, wife of SP MP Lalji Verma, was previously SP’s MLA from Katehari. Ajit Prasad, the son of Faizabad (Ayodhya) MP Awadhesh Prasad, will contest from Milkipur. Jyoti Bind is the daughter of SP leader Ramesh Bind, who ran in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Mirzapur
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has also announced its candidates for most of the constituencies, adding another dimension to the contest. With multiple parties vying for influence over key regions, the by-elections are emerging as a critical test of the evolving political dynamics in Uttar Pradesh.
Key Constituencies in Focus
Karhal (Mainpuri):
The Karhal seat, situated in Mainpuri district, became vacant after Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav resigned following his victory in the Lok Sabha elections from Kannauj. Historically, this constituency is considered a stronghold of the SP. Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, a member of the influential Yadav family, is will contest on SP's ticket.
Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar)
The Katehari seat was vacated by Lalji Verma after his victory in the Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha elections. The BJP faces a tough challenge here as the NDA needs to strengthen its standing with Nishad voters. Swatantra Deo Singh, Daya Shankar Mishra, and Sanjay Nishad are working on BJP's campaign in this region. Shobhavati Verma, wife of SP MP Lalji Verma, is SP candidate.
Majhawan (Mirzapur):
Majhawan’s MLA, Vinod Kumar Bind, vacated his seat after winning the Bhadohi Lok Sabha election. The Nishad Party, led by Sanjay Nishad, is lobbying to contest this seat in the bypolls. The BJP has assigned ministers Anil Rajbhar, Ashish Patel, Ravindra Jaiswal, and Ramkesh Nishad to prepare the party’s strategy in this constituency. Jyoti Bind is SP candidate from this constituency.
Phulpur (Prayagraj)
Praveen Singh Patel vacated Phulpur after his successful run for the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat. The Yogi government has tasked ministers Rakesh Sachan and Daya Shankar Singh with ensuring a strong BJP performance in this seat. Mustafa Siddiqui is SP candidate from this constituency. BSP has given ticket to Shibran Paasi.
Kundarki (Moradabad):
Zia-Ur-Rahman Barq’s resignation after winning the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat has left Kundarki open for contest. The BJP has deployed ministers Dharmpal Singh, JPS Rathore, Jaswant Saini, and Gulab Devi to lead their campaign in the area.
Khair (Aligarh)
Anoop Singh vacated the Khair seat to contest the Hathras Lok Sabha seat. With the RLD now part of the NDA, the BJP hopes to leverage the significant presence of Jat voters in this constituency. Lakshmi Narayan Choudhari and Sandeep Singh are leading the BJP’s campaign efforts here.
Merrapur (Muzaffarnagar):
Chandan Chauhan of the RLD resigned from Merrapur to run in the Bijnor Lok Sabha seat, which he won. The BJP, which lost to Chauhan in the 2022 Assembly elections, is keen to make gains here, with ministers Anil Kumar, Somendra Tomar, and K P Mallik tasked with preparations. BSP has fielded Shah Nazar from this seat
Ghaziabad (Ghaziabad):
Atul Garg resigned from the Ghaziabad Assembly seat after being nominated for the Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat. Ministers Sunil Sharma, Brijesh Singh, and Kapildev Agrawal have been entrusted with keeping voter engagement high for the BJP in this urban constituency. SP may give this seat to Congress
Sisamau (Kanpur Nagar):
This seat was vacated after the disqualification of SP leader Hazi Irfan Solanki, following his sentencing in a legal case. BJP is looking to make inroads in this SP stronghold with local ministers overseeing preparations. Naseem Solanki, wife of jailed SP leader Irfan Solanki, will contest from Sisamau in Kanpur
