BJP’s prestige faces off against BSP-SP tieup

Phulpur and Gorakhpur Lok Sabha by-polls on Sunday are already firmly in the spotlight, for three reasons. And unsurprisingly, the factor that emerged last is turning out to be the mostwatched — the coming together of arch rivals BSP and SP to support each other in both the seats.

Bahujan Samaj Party leaders campaigning for the Samajwadi Party is something of a rarity. And the tie-up has brought the contest to life and will be a litmus for people’s response.

Meanwhile, reasons number one and two. At stake is the prestige of both chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy, Keshav Prasad Maurya, who vacated Gorakhpur and Phulpur respectively after entering the state legislative council.

The election would also be an MAIN CANDIDATES

SP: Nagendra Singh Patel

BJP: Kaushalendra Singh Patel Congress: Manish Mishra

Other: Atiq Ahmad (Independent) Voters:

Polling booths:

Security personnel:

Seat fell vacant after Keshav Prasad Maurya was elected to the UP Legislative Council

1.96mn

2,155 17,500

indicator of how the electorate views eleven months under the Yogi and his BJP government in the state.

Upendra Shukla from the ruling BJP, Praveen Nishad from SP, Surhita Chatterjee Kareem from Congress are contesting the Gorakhpur by-polls.

Kaushalendra Singh Patel MAIN CANDIDATES SP alliance: Er Praveen Nishad BJP: Upendra Shukla Congress: Surheeta Kareem Voters: Polling booths: Security personnel: Seat fall vacant after Yogi Adityanath resigned on being elected UP Chief Minister

1.95mn

2,141 13,000

ALLAHABAD/GORAKHPUR:The

14

from the BJP, Nagendra Singh Patel from SP, Manish Mishra from Congress are contesting for the Phulpur seat.

Congress’ Mishra will vie for a seat that was once represented by none other than India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1952, 57 and 62.