By-elections in UP on 10 assembly seats, litmus test for India Block

UP Assembly By Elections: By-elections are going to be held soon for 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. These by-elections will be a litmus test for the unity of India Block. India Block had won more than 40 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Due to this, BJP could not get a majority on its own in the Parliament. Now people's eyes are fixed on the by-elections. However, an agreement has been reached between the two allies of India Block in Uttar Pradesh, Congress and Samajwadi Party, on the division of seats for the by-elections. Congress has presented its claim to contest five out of 10 seats. But Samajwadi Party is not agreeing to this.

Leaders of both the parties Congress and Samajwadi Party say that their target is to defeat BJP and they are confident that both of them will fight the by-elections together.

The assembly seats where by-elections are to be held are: Ghaziabad, Majhwan (Mirzapur), Sheeshmau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Milkipur (Ayodhya), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad).

Nine of these seats have fallen vacant after MPs were elected in the Lok Sabha elections, while the Sheeshmau assembly seat has fallen vacant due to the disqualification of SP MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case, and by-elections are being held.

Congress-SP dispute over seat sharing

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai says that the party has organised Samvidhan Bachao Sammelan in all 10 assembly seats. Two conferences have already been held. Observers and in-charges have been appointed on 10 seats.

He said that they will contest the elections in alliance. The aim of both is to defeat the BJP. Congress has proposed to its leadership to contest elections on five assembly seats – Phulpur (Allahabad), Ghaziabad, Majhawa (Mirzapur), Khair (Aligarh) and Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar). BJP had won these seats.

Congress claimed five seats

In the 2022 assembly elections, Karhal, Milkipur, Sisamau, Katehari, and Kundarki seats were won by SP; while Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Phulpur and Kahir elected BJP MLAs. Meerapur seat was won by RLD.

On the other hand, SP's chief spokesperson and national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary says that they are fully prepared for the elections. India Block will win all 10 seats. On seat sharing and Congress' demand for five seats, Chaudhary said that the party leadership will decide.