BJP's By-Election Edge in Uttar Pradesh Sparks Tension with Samajwadi Party

As by-election results unfold, BJP gains lead in Uttar Pradesh, with Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya branding Samajwadi Party as 'Samaptwadi Party'. Allegations surface of voting misconduct from both parties, while Congress makes electoral strides in Kerala with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

In a significant political development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a commanding lead in the by-polls, securing advances in nine crucial seats across Uttar Pradesh. This electoral showing prompted Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to assert that the Samajwadi Party, under Akhilesh Yadav, is on the verge of obsolescence. Maurya, in a statement to ANI, went further to label Yadav's PDA as a 'Parivar Development Agency', suggesting deceit and fraud in their strategies. He emphasized that the Samajwadi Party's consistent exploitation of such tactics will lead to its downfall by the 2024 Vidhan Sabha by-elections.

According to preliminary data from the Election Commission, the BJP is leading in key constituencies such as Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Phulpur, and Majhawan. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party is showing strength in seats like Karhal, Sishamau, and Katehari, with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) maintaining a lead in Meerapur. The political climate, marred by accusations and counter-allegations, has seen the Samajwadi Party accuse police interference in voting processes, a claim that BJP contests by highlighting instances of 'fake voting' particularly in seats like Kundarki and Sisamau.

The by-elections, encompassing 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha segments over 15 states, present a crucial battleground, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala's Wayanad, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is making her electoral debut. The encounters between BJP and Samajwadi Party are particularly intense, with both parties engaging in a war of words over alleged voting irregularities. The BJP, in its communication with the Chief Electoral Officer, accused external voters of utilizing counterfeit ID cards, further heating the contested political atmosphere.

(With inputs from agencies.)