Phulpur Bypoll: SP Wins by a Margin of 59,460 Votes, BJP Comes 2nd

Once represented by Jawaharlal Nehru, Phulpur witnessed a saffron surge in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Confident of BJP's Victory in Phulpur: Keshav Prasad Maurya

After casting his vote on Sunday, 11 March, UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that his party would win both the seats.

"On 14 March, when the votes are counted, the Bua-Bhatija (Mayawati-Akhilsh Yadav) will suffer another sad jolt," he said.

(With ANI and PTI inputs)

Akhilesh Yadav Leaves Mayawati’s Residence After Meeting Her

#WATCH Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav leaves from the residence of BSP Chief Mayawati in Lucknow. #UPByPolls pic.twitter.com/IvkySIE6Lq

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

'Perhaps Yogi Should Spend Less Time Lecturing Karnataka on Development': Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah congratulated the SP and the BSP for the “historic victory” in the UP bypolls, saying that the “unity among non-BJP parties played a key role”.

He also slammed Yogi Adityanath, saying, perhaps he “should spend less time lecturing Karnataka on development.”

BJP has suffered humiliating loss in the Lok Sabha seats held by the CM & DyCM of UP. Congratulations to SP & BSP for this historic victory. Unity among the non-BJP parties has played a key role.

Perhaps Yogi Adityanath should spend less time lecturing Karnataka on development.

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) March 14, 2018

Watch: Akhilesh Yadav Addresses Media After SP Wins Phulpur and Gorakhpur

I want to thank the people of Gorakhpur and Phulpur. And I want to express my gratitude towards Mayawatiji. If this is the anger of people in the areas of the CM and the deputy CM, you can imagine the anger of the people in the rest of the country. 

Akhilesh Yadav, SP chief

The BJP failed to bring “acche din,” owing to which the public united to bring ‘bure din’ (bad days) for the party.

“The public will give an answer to a government which would make them suffer,” he asserted.

Akhilesh attributed the SP win to the support from Dalits, farmers, labourers, women and unemployed, calling it a victory of social justice.

Watch: 'Result is Unexpected, Will Review the Shortcomings': Yogi Adityanath on Bypolls

Calling the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypoll results a “lesson”, UP CM Yogi Adityanath cited over-confidence and the inability to understand the understanding between SP and BSP as prime reasons for the BJP’s defeat.

The fact that the BJP lost both the seats was a reason for review, the chief minister said, as reported by PTI.

When the candidates were declared, the SP, BSP and Congress were not together...they had not joined hands then. But suddenly in the middle of the election, the SP and the BSP forged an electoral understanding. The over-confidence and inability to understand the electoral understanding between the SP and the BSP led to the defeat.

Yogi Adityanath, as quoted by PTI

He went on to say:

The political deal between the BSP and SP is to stall the country’s development. To tackle this, we will come up with a strategy.

Yogi Adityanath

The chief minister said local issues led to the party's poor performance in the bypolls, and not the policies of the Centre, it was further reported by PTI.

He noted that local issues dominated and voter turnout was also low.

When the general elections are held, there will be national issues. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, there has been a sense of confidence which is prevailing in the country...but all these will be reviewed.

Yogi Adityanath, as quoted by PTI