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The campaign for the bypoll to the Ghosi Assembly constituency concluded on Sunday, with the two parties in the fray – BJP and Samajwadi Party (SP) – submitting complaints to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Election Officer (CEO) accusing each other of malpractices.
BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary wrote to the CEO, saying that the SP candidate is handing out money to people in areas with a predominantly Dalit and minority population. “For this, there is a list at the level of sector and booth. The list has the signature of SP’s Mau district president and general secretary for the district… The SP is trying to influence the voters… and money is being distributed in dozens of villages,” read the letter.
The party requested EC officials to take cognisance of the issue and take action so that the SP couldn’t influence the election outcome.
On the other hand, SP national general secretary Rajendra Choudhary wrote a letter to the CEO, alleging that the election is being rigged in Ghosi. In the letter, it was alleged that the local police are cutting power lines in minority-dominated areas and at the homes of people who are SP supporters. It said that the local police officers are harassing SP supporters, including those from minorities, and are putting pressure on them “to vote in favor of BJP by calling them to the police stations”.
“The police and administration are creating an atmosphere of terror in the entire constituency… Please ensure free and fair elections,” the letter added.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also released an “appeal” to the voters in Ghosi, asking them to go in “groups” to vote and to record videos of irregularities, if any.
Meanwhile, campaigning for the bypoll concluded at 6 pm on Sunday. At least eight state ministers, including Minister of Energy & Urban Development AK Sharma and minister Surya Pratap Shahi, campaigned on the last day.
For the SP, national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, state president Naresh Uttam Patel and all presidents of the party’s frontal organisations participated in the campaign.
Both Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took part in the campaign by addressing public meetings.
All eyes are on the constituency because it will be among the first battles between a constituent of the INDIA bloc of 26 Opposition parties and the BJP since the bloc was formed.
SP’s Sudhakar Singh is facing BJP’s Dara Singh Chauhan who recently went back to the ruling party after switching to the SP in the run-up to the 2022 state Assembly polls.
Of the 4.37 lakh voters in Ghosi, 90,000 are Muslims, 60,000 Dalits, and 77,000 upper castes — 45,000 Bhumihars, 16,000 Rajputs, and 6,000 Brahmins. Both the Congress and the BSP have not fielded candidates for the election with the Congress supporting Sudhakar Singh.
Polling for the seat will take place on Tuesday, while the results will be announced on September 8.
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