Gola Gokarannath seat: BJP candidate ahead in first round of counting

The main contest was between BJPs Aman Giri, the son of Arvind Giri, and SP candidate and former Gola Gokarannath MLA Tiwari.The BJPs campaign was led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

BJP candidate Aman Giri has taken a lead in the initial round of counting of votes on Sunday in the Gola Gokarannath assembly bypolls.

While Giri has got 8,943 votes so far, Samajwadi Party's Vinay Tiwari got 5,008 votes, officials said.

Counting started here at 8 am amid tight security arrangements.

Returning Officer Anurag Singh said the counting is likely to be held in 32 rounds. The November 3 Gokarannath assembly bypolls recorded a polling percentage of 57.35 per cent. Seven contestants were in the fray. The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of BJP MLA Arvind Giri on September 6.

The BSP and the Congress kept away from the poll this time. The main contest was between BJP's Aman Giri, the son of Arvind Giri, and SP candidate and former Gola Gokarannath MLA Tiwari.

The BJP's campaign was led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Gola Gokarannath is part of Union minister Ajay Mishra's Lakhimpur Kheri parliamentary constituency.

Mishra has been in the eye of a storm following the killing of four farmers during violence in October last year. His son is an accused in the case.PTI COR ABN DV DV