News Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh by-elections: Will SP sustain its momentum or BJP stage a comeback?

Uttar Pradesh by-elections: Will SP sustain its momentum or BJP stage a comeback?

Following the surprising Lok Sabha results, Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for crucial by-elections in eight constituencies. These by-elections will serve as a critical barometer for the state’s shifting political landscape.

Image Source : PTI (FILE IMAGE)SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a poll campaign

Published : Jun 13, 2024 14:36 IST, Updated : Jun 13, 2024 15:27 IST

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The politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, which holds 80 seats in Parliament, delivered surprising results in the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Uttar Pradesh known as a BJP bastion, especially after its sweeping victory in 2019, performed fairly poor in the polls, with maximum of its seats earlier won by them, this time going to the opposition's camp. However, now in the aftermath of Lok Sabha polls 2024, what has caught everyone's attention are crucial assembly by-elections to be held over 8 assembly constituencies and one MLC seat, which fell vacant after incumbent MLAs and MLC contested Lok sabha elections and were elected as Members of Parliament.

It is pertinent to note that of total thirteen MLAs and four MLCs who contested the Lok Sabha elections, eight legislators, including one MLC, registered the thumping victory.

List of MLAs and MLCs who emerged victorious on Lok Sabha seats in UP

Significantly, among the victorious was UP’s PWD minister Jitin Prasada, who won the Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 1,64,935 votes, while Anoop Pradhan 'Balmiki,' the minister of state for revenue, won the Hathras (SC) seat by a margin of 2,47,318 votes. 'Balmiki' is an MLA from Khair assembly constituency in Aligarh district.

Further, the BJP MLAs who have left their assembly constituency for the Lok Sabha seat also include Phulphur MLA Praveen Patel (won the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat), Ghaziabad MLA Atul Garg (won the Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat) and MLA Vinod Kumar Bind (won the Bhadohi Lok Sabha seat).

Further, from the opposition camp, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, the sitting MLA from Karhal assembly constituency in Mainpuri district, left his assembly constituency, following his grand win from the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, defeating BJP’s Subrat Pathak by 1,70,922 votes. Moreover, other SP MLAs who secured victories include Ziaur Rehman from Kundarki in Moradabad, winning the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat, and senior SP leader Lalji Verma from Katehari in Ambedkarnagar, who won the Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha seat.

RLD MLA Chandan Chauhan from Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar district also won the Bijnor Lok Sabha seat by 37,508 votes.

Upcoming assembly by-elections to reflect evolving voter sentiment

With eight assembly seats now vacant, the outcomes of these by-elections could reshape the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh, potentially altering power dynamics ahead of future state elections. The performances of key parties in the bypolls will be closely watched as an indicator of shifting voter sentiments and emerging political trends.