Shafeek Ahmed Ansari of Apna Dal-Soneylal (Apna Dal-S) has won the Uttar Pradesh assembly bye election in Suar constituency in Rampur district.
Suar was the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP's last citadel in Rampur district. The Rampur assembly constituency as well as the Rampur parliamentary constituency, both Azam Khan's strongholds, were won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Shafeek Ahmed Ansari of Apna Dal-Soneylal (Apna Dal-S) has won the Uttar Pradesh assembly bye election in Suar constituency in Rampur district.
Ansari of Apna Dal (S) has defeated Anuradha Chauhan of Samajwadi Party (SP) by a margin of 8,724 votes, according to the Election Commission (EC).
Votes were counted on Saturday in two assembly bye elections in Uttar Pradesh for Suar and Chhanbey constituencies.
The Suar assembly seat fell vacant in February following the disqualification of two-term MLA and SP leader Azam Khan's son Abdullah Azam Khan after a Moradabad court sentenced him to two years in jail in a 15-year-old case. The Chhanbey seat fell vacant after the death of Apna Dal (S) MLA Rahul Prakash Kol in February.
In Chhanbey, Rinki Kol of Apna Dal (S) is leading over Kirti Kol of SP by a margin of 9,587 votes, as per EC data last updated on 3:55 pm.
Bypolls were held for the Suar assembly seat in Rampur district and the Chhanbey assembly seat in Mirzapur district on May 10.
Suar was the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP's last citadel in Rampur district. The Rampur assembly constituency as well as the Rampur parliamentary constituency, both Azam Khan's strongholds, were won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Though the bypoll results would not impact the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh as it enjoys more than two-third majority, the win or loss would be considered important for political parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as the state sends the highest number of members (80) to Lok Sabha.
Prior to bypoll results, in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly, the ruling BJP had 255 MLAs and its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) and the NISHAD Party had 11 and six legislators respectively. Main Opposition party SP had 109 MLAs while its ally the Rashtriya Lok Dal had nine. The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party had six MLAs, the Congress and the Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) had two each and the Bahujan Samaj Party had one member in the assembly.
(With PTI inputs)