BJP’s Ramakant Yadav set to contest Mainpuri bypoll

Mulayam, who contested from Azamgarh to counter the impact of Narendra Modi wave in eastern UP, defeated Ramakant here by a margin of 63,204 votes. Ramakant polled 2.77 lakh votes.

Ramakant had won the Lok Sabha elections from Azamgarh twice, in 1996 and 1999, on SP symbol. He was elected from the same seat in 2004 on BSP ticket and had won it again in 2009 as BJP nominee.

“The party has asked me to start preparations for the Mainpuri bypoll. However, if Mulayam vacates Azamgarh, I will contest from there in the event of a bypoll,” Yadav told The Indian Express.
Ramakant also said state in-charge Amit Shah has assured him of a party ticket from Mainpuri, where, he said, he will start preparations along with the local BJP unit from June.Ramakant said: “I will surely win from Mainpuri, as locals are now against Mulayam. Caste equations and negative reaction of the locals on Mulayam’s plan to vacate the seat will work in my favour.”

Alleging use of unfair means against Mulayam, the former BJP MP said: “Mulayam won Azamgarh and Mainpuri using unfair means on polling day. Local police was deployed on various polling booths where Mulayam got maximum votes. Since BJP has come to power at the Centre, Central forces would be deployed at all polling stations during the bypoll.”

Mainpuri has around 3.5 lakh Yadav voters, followed by 2.5 lakh Shakya voters, 1.5 lakh Lodh voters and around one lakh Thakur voters.