Samajwadi Party Gains Ground in Varanasi Amid BJP Retention
In the recent Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, the BJP retained six seats, but the SP's victory in Varanasi signals a shift ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.
BJP retains six out of eleven contested seats in UP MLC elections.
SP candidate Lal Bihari Yadav wins Varanasi teachers constituency by 5,000 votes.
Allegations of misconduct during the counting process have emerged.
In the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to hold on to six seats, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) has made significant gains, particularly in Varanasi, ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The SP is projected to secure five seats, including a crucial win in the teachers' constituency located in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Varanasi Lok Sabha area.
Historically, the BJP had previously won six seats, with the SP claiming three and Independents taking two. The recent elections saw Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath actively campaigning for BJP candidates across all constituencies, while the SP relied on local leaders for support. Notably, neither the Congress nor the Bahujan Samaj Party fielded candidates in this election cycle.
The Varanasi teachers constituency was particularly noteworthy, with SP candidate Lal Bihari Yadav defeating BJP's Pramod Mishra by approximately 5,000 votes. Yadav attributed his victory margin to growing public dissatisfaction with the BJP, challenging the notion that educated voters remain loyal to the ruling party. He criticized the BJP's education policies, citing issues such as the discontinuation of honorariums for teachers in unaided institutions.
The BJP's retention of its seats, including the teachers constituency in Lucknow, has raised eyebrows, especially given the party's failure to expand its previous tally despite a vigorous campaign by Adityanath. Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya acknowledged the SP's progress, indicating that the party has gained traction in constituencies where it was not expected to win, such as Agra and Lucknow. SP spokesperson Pooja Shukla emphasized that the results serve as a boost for the party ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
As the counting process unfolded, allegations of misconduct surfaced, with SP candidate Akash Agrawal claiming he was assaulted at the counting center in Agra. Meanwhile, the SP announced a boycott in Gorakhpur, alleging irregularities favoring the BJP candidate. The final results across all eleven constituencies will be scrutinized as both parties prepare for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
