Ayodhya: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate, Chandrabhanu Paswan is leading by over 40,000 votes in the Milkipur Assembly bypoll, as per the latest trends after the 18th round of counting Saturday.
According to the Election Commission’s website, Paswan has secured 92,260 votes, while Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Ajit Prasad has received 49,374 votes. Azad Samaj Party’s Santosh Kumar is in third place with 1,976 votes.
With just a few more rounds to go, BJP’s Paswan has consolidated his lead over Prasad.
The by-poll was necessitated after Awadhesh Prasad, who won the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat in 2024, vacated the Milkipur constituency.
The BJP fielded Chandrabhanu Paswan, while the SP nominated Ajit Prasad, the son of Awadhesh Prasad. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress did not contest the election at all.
Voting took place February 5 and since polling day, the SP has repeatedly accused the police administration and the Election Commission of electoral malpractice.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar attributed the BJP’s lead to its development agenda.
“I had gauged the mood of the people. They want the ‘milk’ of development. The BJP is contesting with the ‘milch cow’ of progress, while the Opposition is merely fighting with a cow. Voters will choose the milch cow,” he said.
On SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s allegations against the Election Commission, Rajbhar dismissed them, saying, “He has nothing substantial to claim.”
When asked about the BJP’s strong performance in Delhi’s election trends, he remarked, “People trust PM Modi’s work and are voting accordingly.”
Regarding the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Rajbhar confirmed his party’s continued alliance with the BJP, stating, “We are with the NDA and will contest the elections together.”
The Milkipur seat, part of the politically significant Ayodhya district, has turned into a prestige battle between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP.
IANS
