UP Bypolls: BJP Wins Azamgarh & Rampur Lok Sabha Seats, Both SP Strongholds

In a major blow to SP in Uttar Pradesh, BJP clinched victory in both Azamgarh and Rampur bypolls.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

In a major blow to Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Ghanshyam Lodhi defeated SP's Mohd Asim Raja from Rampur Lok Sabha constituency by over 40,000 votes and Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' defeated Dharmendra Yadav from Azamgarh seat on Sunday, 25 June.

Both Rampur and Azamgarh have been the stronghold of the SP under Akhilesh Yadav.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took to twitter to congratulate the winning candidates and termed it as the success of the "double engine government."

The CM tweeted, "The historic victory in the by-election in Azamgarh Sadar Lok Sabha seat is the result of the welfare policies of the 'Double Engine BJP Government' under the leadership of the respected prime minister. This victory is dedicated to all the hardworking workers of BJP. Thanks, people of Azamgarh!"

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the win "historic" and said that it indicated "wide-scale acceptance and support."

Both Azamgarh and Rampur seats were up for bypolls after the resignations of party chief Akhilesh Yadav and senior leader Azam Khan, respectively.

In Azamgarh, the Bahun Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Shah Alam, who secured over 2 lakh votes. is said to have impacted the Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav.

Shah Alam inched very close to both the BJP and the SP's candidates before the saffron party clinched victory.

When asked about the loss, SP's Azam Khan told news agency ANI that "neither this can be called an election nor the election results."

"The polling station was of 900 votes and only 6 votes?... The locality is of Muslims, 500 voters and only 1 vote?"

Azam Khan.

When asked what would he like to say to his party workers he said, "Don't respond to hate with hate."

Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav's absence from the bypolls and the campaign is said to have majorly impacted the outcome.

When asked about the absence of Akhilesh Yadav, the SP candidate from Azamgarh, Dharmendra Yadav, told NDTV, "No, it does not matter. He was checking on my campaign all the time".

Earlier during the counting, Yadav got involved in an argument with the security personnel allegedly over being denied access to the strongroom. He also alleged tampering with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).