– Akhilesh Tripathi/Lucknow
The results of the by-elections for 9 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh have been surprising. However, the Samajwadi Party (SP) managed to maintain its 35-year-old record in Sishamau seat in Kanpur, while the BJP reclaimed Kundarki seat in Moradabad district after 31 years.
Reacting to the election results, SP President Akhilesh Yadav stated, “The tactics of those who turn ‘elections’ into ‘corruption’ stand exposed to the world.”
By-elections were held for 9 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, and the results have been announced today. These results are surprising, as no one had expected outcomes like these. The BJP has won 7 out of the 9 seats.
The BJP retained Ghaziabad Sadar seat, where its candidate Rajeev Sharma emerged victorious, defeating SP’s Singh Raj Jatav. In Khair seat in Aligarh, BJP’s Surendra Singh Diler won, defeating SP’s Charu Cain.
In Majhawan, Mirzapur district, BJP’s Suchismita Maurya defeated SP’s Jyoti Bind. On Phulpur seat in Allahabad district, BJP’s Deepak Patel claimed victory by defeating SP’s Mujtaba Siddiqui.
In Katehri constituency of Ambedkar Nagar, BJP’s Dharamraj Nishad won, defeating SP’s Shobhavati Verma.
On Mirapur seat in Muzaffarnagar district, Mithilesh Pal, the candidate of BJP’s ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), secured victory, defeating SP candidate Sumbul Rana. The voting on November 20 in Mirapur was marred by significant controversy, as reports emerged of Muslim voters being prevented from casting their ballots, allegedly at the behest of the BJP.
Police personnel were reportedly stopping Muslim voters from reaching the polling booths. Akhilesh Yadav raised this issue with the Election Commissioner, following which two sub-inspectors deployed in the Mirapur region, Neeraj Kumar and Om Pal Singh, were suspended.
Furthermore, Station House Officer (SHO) of the Kakrauli police station in Mirapur, Rajeev Sharma, was accused of preventing Muslim women from voting. Allegedly, the SHO publicly brandished his revolver, threatening the women and warning them of being shot. Akhilesh Yadav brought this to the attention of the EC, submitting a video as evidence. However, despite these complaints, no action has yet been taken against the SHO, raising questions about the Election Commissioner’s impartiality.
Adding to the controversy, police later filed an FIR against 28 individuals, including Muslim women, accusing them of obstructing official duties. Among the accused is an individual who was reportedly in a different district on the day of the election, further highlighting inconsistencies in the police’s actions. These incidents suggest active police involvement in suppressing Muslim voters, allegedly to benefit the BJP, which feared losing if Muslims turned out in large numbers.
Given the police’s role during the election, it was widely anticipated that SP would lose and BJP would win in Mirapur. Ultimately, the election results reflected this expectation, with BJP’s ally securing the seat.
SP retained its 35-year stronghold on Sishamau seat in Kanpur city. SP has continuously held this seat for the past 35 years. Previously, Haji Mustaq Solanki of SP represented this constituency. After his demise, his son Irfan Solanki was elected MLA twice from the seat. However, Irfan Solanki’s term ended after he was sentenced to seven years in prison in a legal case.
Following his disqualification, SP fielded Naseem Solanki, Irfan Solanki’s wife, as its candidate for the by-election. Naseem entered the electoral fray and contested the seat. However, on November 20, the polling day, Muslim voters in Sishamau also faced hurdles as police allegedly prevented them from voting. Several barricades were set up in different areas to restrict voters from reaching the booths. Akhilesh Yadav reported the issue to Election Commissioner, resulting in the suspension of two Kanpur police sub-inspectors, Arun Singh and Rakesh Nadar.
The police were accused of siding with the BJP, intimidating voters, and obstructing them from casting their ballots. BJP was determined to win this seat at all costs. However, the election results declared today were a shock for them. Naseem Solanki defeated BJP candidate Suresh Awasthi, ensuring SP’s flag continued to fly high in Sishamau.
The Kundarki Assembly seat, which had been an SP stronghold for 31 years, saw a major upset in the recent by-elections. This constituency was once represented by Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Barq, a well-known leader connected closely with the people. In the previous election, his grandson Ziaur Rahman Barq was elected MLA from Kundarki. However, after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Sambhal in 2024, a by-election was necessitated.
During the election, allegations emerged that police favoured the BJP and obstructed Muslim voters from casting their votes. Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue with the EC, leading to the suspension of Vipin Sirohi, a head constable in Moradabad. Additionally, eight police personnel in Moradabad were immediately removed from election duty. Despite these actions, complaints about police misconduct persisted. SP candidate Haji Rizwan wrote a letter to the EC, demanding that the election in Kundarki be annulled. He alleged that from the start of polling, the police and administration were intimidating Muslim voters and preventing them from voting. “The election here has not been conducted impartially,” he stated.
Given the situation, it seemed likely that SP would lose the seat, as Muslim voters, who make up 65% of Kundarki’s electorate, were reportedly unable to vote freely. When the results were announced, SP candidate Haji Rizwan lost, and BJP candidate Ramveer Singh secured the victory. With this win, BJP managed to wrest the seat from SP after 31 years.
On the other hand, Karhal Assembly seat in Mainpuri district remained with the SP. This by-election occurred after Akhilesh Yadav vacated the seat upon being elected to the Lok Sabha. SP fielded Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav’s nephew, as its candidate. BJP, unable to find a suitable candidate, nominated Anujesh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav’s cousin-brother-in-law. Despite BJP’s significant efforts to win, the results showed that Tej Pratap Singh Yadav retained the seat for SP, defeating Anujesh Yadav. The BJP faced a major setback here, failing to unseat SP from Karhal.
After the results of the Assembly by-elections were announced, SP president Akhilesh Yadav shared his reaction, stating, “The tactics of those who have turned ‘elections’ into a synonym for ‘corruption’ have been captured on camera and exposed to the world. From global to national to Uttar Pradesh levels, this by-election showcased the ugliest face of electoral politics. Lies may have their time, but not an era.”
One notable aspect of this election was the participation of BSP, which was overwhelmingly rejected by the people. The public perceived BSP as an agent of the BJP and merely a vote-splitting party. Consequently, it received minimal support, with its candidates managing only a few thousand votes.
A key factor behind SP’s defeat in Kundarki constituency was the presence of 11 Muslim candidates contesting the election. This led to a division of votes, which significantly affected SP’s chances and ultimately paved the way for the BJP’s victory.
