Double whammy for SP in UP bypolls, Owaisi calls Akhilesh's party 'useless'
BJP's Ghanshyam Lodhi wrested the Rampur parliamentary seat from the SP, defeating his nearest rival by over 42,000 votes in a bypoll, while Bhojpuri actor-singer and BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirhua' was winning with a margin of 9,060 votes.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said the Lok Sabha by-election results of Rampur and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday clearly show that the Samajwadi Party (SP) has neither the ability nor the capability to defeat the BJP.
BJP candidate Ghanshyam Lodhi wrested the Rampur parliamentary seat from the Samajwadi Party, defeating his nearest rival by over 42,000 votes in a bypoll, while Bhojpuri actor-singer and BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirhua' was winning with a margin of 9,060 votes, according to Election Commission of India.
“The results of Rampur and Azamgarh elections clearly show that the Samajwadi Party (SP) has neither the ability nor the capability to defeat the BJP. Muslims should now instead of wasting their valuable votes on such useless parties, they should create their own independent political identity and decide their fate themselves,” Owaisi tweeted in Hindi.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed gratitude to the people of the state by saying that the by-election result puts a seal of public's faith in the double-engine BJP government.
"The victory of Rampur Lok Sabha seat in the by-election is a seal of public's faith in the double engine BJP government on public welfare policies under the successful leadership of respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi," tweeted Adityanath.
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The tweet further read, "This victory is the result of the successful leadership of the BJP, the tireless hard work of dedicated workers and the good governance established by the double engine BJP government. Thanks to the people of Rampur from the bottom of my heart!"
In a major political development in Uttar Pradesh, Lodhi won the Lok Sabha bypoll in Rampur, the bastion of Samajwadi Party (SP) big shot Azam Khan. The BJP had fielded Lodhi who recently joined the party. Whereas, SP candidate Asim Raja was handpicked by Azam Khan. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) did not contest from Rampur.
"Lodhi has won by over 42,000 votes," Rampur district magistrate Ravindra Kumar told reporters after giving the winning certificate to Lodhi.
From Azamgarh, Samajwadi Party (SP) fielded Dharmendra Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielded Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali against the BJP candidate.
A total of 13 candidates were in the fray in the Azamgarh bypoll.
The Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat is considered the bastion of the Opposition Samajwadi Party in the state. The bye-elections to the Azamgarh seat were necessitated due to the resignation of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly as an MLA in the elections earlier this year.
(With inputs from agencies)
