Ayodhya (UP), Feb 4 (PTI) – The final phase of the high-profile battle between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will unfold in the Milkipur assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh, as voters head to the polls on Wednesday, February 7. Voting will begin at 7 am and continue until 5 pm, with 3,70,829 eligible voters in the constituency expected to cast their ballots.
The Milkipur seat, reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), has drawn significant attention, especially as the contest tightens between Samajwadi Party’s Ajit Prasad and BJP’s Chandrabhanu Paswan. The outcome of this bypoll holds substantial political weight, particularly in the wake of SP's unexpected victory in the Faizabad Lok Sabha elections last year, which was seen as a boost for the party following the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Election authorities have arranged for extensive security and surveillance at the 255 polling centers and 414 polling stations across the constituency. Webcasting will be conducted at 210 stations, while videography will be employed at 25 stations. Micro-observers are set to monitor 71 polling centers, supported by nine flying squads, nine static surveillance teams, six video surveillance teams, and various other officials to ensure a smooth and secure voting process. The polling will be conducted with the assistance of civil police, PAC, and paramilitary forces.
Among the 3,70,829 voters are 1,92,984 male voters, 1,77,838 female voters, and seven third-gender voters. There are also 4,811 first-time voters in Milkipur, further highlighting the importance of this election.
While the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is sitting out the bypoll, the Congress has pledged support to its ally, the Samajwadi Party, in Milkipur. Meanwhile, the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) has put forth its own candidate in the race.
The bypoll became necessary when SP’s Awadhesh Prasad vacated the Milkipur seat after securing victory in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat during the 2024 general elections. This contest now becomes a focal point for both the SP, which aims to retain the seat, and the BJP, which views it as an opportunity to reclaim lost ground after suffering a blow in the 2022 UP Assembly elections, where Milkipur was the only seat the BJP lost in Ayodhya district.
In the final days of campaigning, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of delaying the bypoll, suggesting that the ruling party feared a potential loss. Yadav characterized the contest as a direct battle between "janta and shashan" (the people and the administration).
The recent murder of a Dalit woman in Ayodhya has also become a key talking point for the SP, which has used the incident to attack the BJP-led state government. While SP MP Awadhesh Prasad expressed emotional distress over the tragedy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dismissed it as "nautanki" (drama), even suggesting that some "criminal from the Samajwadi Party" could be involved. Police arrested three individuals on Monday in connection with the murder of the 22-year-old woman, further intensifying the political debate.
Top leaders from both parties have been campaigning actively for their respective candidates. Along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP’s deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak have also been rallying support for their party's candidate, Chandrabhanu Paswan. On the other side, SP's Dimple Yadav, MP from Mainpuri and wife of Akhilesh Yadav, participated in a roadshow in Milkipur, drawing considerable attention. However, a police case has been filed against Dimple Yadav and unidentified party workers for allegedly violating government orders, including using more vehicles than permitted for the campaign.
The SP has accused the BJP of harassing its leaders and workers by filing "false and fake" cases, adding further fuel to the ongoing political fire as the Milkipur bypoll heads into its final stretch.
As the polls approach, all eyes will be on Milkipur, where the contest between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP is set to be a decisive one. The outcome will not only determine the political future of the candidates but also serve as a barometer for the political climate in Uttar Pradesh, especially ahead of the upcoming elections.
The Milkipur seat, reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), has drawn significant attention, especially as the contest tightens between Samajwadi Party’s Ajit Prasad and BJP’s Chandrabhanu Paswan. The outcome of this bypoll holds substantial political weight, particularly in the wake of SP's unexpected victory in the Faizabad Lok Sabha elections last year, which was seen as a boost for the party following the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Election authorities have arranged for extensive security and surveillance at the 255 polling centers and 414 polling stations across the constituency. Webcasting will be conducted at 210 stations, while videography will be employed at 25 stations. Micro-observers are set to monitor 71 polling centers, supported by nine flying squads, nine static surveillance teams, six video surveillance teams, and various other officials to ensure a smooth and secure voting process. The polling will be conducted with the assistance of civil police, PAC, and paramilitary forces.
Among the 3,70,829 voters are 1,92,984 male voters, 1,77,838 female voters, and seven third-gender voters. There are also 4,811 first-time voters in Milkipur, further highlighting the importance of this election.
While the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is sitting out the bypoll, the Congress has pledged support to its ally, the Samajwadi Party, in Milkipur. Meanwhile, the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) has put forth its own candidate in the race.
The bypoll became necessary when SP’s Awadhesh Prasad vacated the Milkipur seat after securing victory in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat during the 2024 general elections. This contest now becomes a focal point for both the SP, which aims to retain the seat, and the BJP, which views it as an opportunity to reclaim lost ground after suffering a blow in the 2022 UP Assembly elections, where Milkipur was the only seat the BJP lost in Ayodhya district.
In the final days of campaigning, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of delaying the bypoll, suggesting that the ruling party feared a potential loss. Yadav characterized the contest as a direct battle between "janta and shashan" (the people and the administration).
The recent murder of a Dalit woman in Ayodhya has also become a key talking point for the SP, which has used the incident to attack the BJP-led state government. While SP MP Awadhesh Prasad expressed emotional distress over the tragedy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dismissed it as "nautanki" (drama), even suggesting that some "criminal from the Samajwadi Party" could be involved. Police arrested three individuals on Monday in connection with the murder of the 22-year-old woman, further intensifying the political debate.
Top leaders from both parties have been campaigning actively for their respective candidates. Along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP’s deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak have also been rallying support for their party's candidate, Chandrabhanu Paswan. On the other side, SP's Dimple Yadav, MP from Mainpuri and wife of Akhilesh Yadav, participated in a roadshow in Milkipur, drawing considerable attention. However, a police case has been filed against Dimple Yadav and unidentified party workers for allegedly violating government orders, including using more vehicles than permitted for the campaign.
The SP has accused the BJP of harassing its leaders and workers by filing "false and fake" cases, adding further fuel to the ongoing political fire as the Milkipur bypoll heads into its final stretch.
As the polls approach, all eyes will be on Milkipur, where the contest between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP is set to be a decisive one. The outcome will not only determine the political future of the candidates but also serve as a barometer for the political climate in Uttar Pradesh, especially ahead of the upcoming elections.
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