Contention Over Milkipur By-Poll: SP Accuses BJP, EC of Interference

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has alleged malpractice in the Milkipur by-election, accusing the BJP of election interference and condemning the Election Commission. The Ayodhya Police responded by clarifying that only booth agents' IDs were checked, not voters'. Despite tensions, the by-poll saw a 57.13% turnout.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has voiced severe allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission following the Milkipur by-election in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing the media on Thursday, Yadav criticized the BJP's electoral tactics, metaphorically declaring the Election Commission as 'dead,' and suggested they ought to receive a symbolic gift of a 'white cloth.'

Yadav's complaints arose after he claimed that police personnel were inspecting voters' ID cards, a move he deemed an attempt to intimidate voters. In a post on platform X, he called for immediate intervention by the Election Commission to address this issue, which he labeled as a 'democratic crime.' Yadav stressed the involvement of senior police officials and demanded urgent punitive measures against those responsible.

Countering SP's allegations, Ayodhya Police clarified that the ID verification was limited to booth agents, not voters, and urged against spreading misinformation. A social media post by the police confirmed that the individual in the circulated photograph was a booth agent and advised against misleading public statements. Despite the controversy, the by-elections resulted in a 57.13% voter turnout.