Key Highlights:
👉 Pasi community’s vote holds the key; BJP and SP intensify their campaigns.
👉 BJP seeks to erase Faizabad Lok Sabha loss; SP aims to regain its traditional stronghold.
Lucknow: The Milkipur Assembly by-election in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya district has turned into a prestige battle for both the BJP and SP. While the BJP is striving to recover from its defeat in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat during the last general elections, the SP is keen to re-establish its dominance over its traditional stronghold after a setback in the November by-elections.
With the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) staying out of the fray and the Congress extending support to the SP, the fight has narrowed down to a direct contest between the BJP and SP.
BJP’s Determined Push Under CM Yogi’s Supervision
To reclaim its lost ground and erase the scars of the Faizabad Lok Sabha defeat, the BJP has mobilized all its resources, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally overseeing the campaign. Several key ministers have been deployed for ground-level campaigning.
Leading the charge is Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, supported by five other ministers: Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, Cooperative Minister JPS Rathore, Ayush Minister Dayashankar Singh, Minister of State Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh, and Satish Sharma.
Reports suggest that Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak will also join the campaign trail, further strengthening BJP’s outreach. Top leaders, MPs, MLAs, and office-bearers from affiliated organizations have been instructed to actively engage with the electorate.
SP’s Aggressive Counteroffensive Under Akhilesh’s Leadership
The Samajwadi Party (SP), which announced its candidate early, has adopted an aggressive strategy. The party has appointed Awdhesh Prasad, a former Milkipur MLA and current MP, as the election in-charge. His son, Ajit Prasad, has already filed his nomination as the SP candidate.
Party sources reveal that SP President Akhilesh Yadav is personally leading the charge. He is expected to campaign extensively and has assigned prominent leaders, MPs, and MLAs as star campaigners. The SP is also raising local issues, such as displacement of people in the name of Ayodhya’s development, to appeal to the masses.
Akhilesh’s “PDA” (Pichhde, Dalit, Alpeshankhyak) slogan is being pushed to consolidate the backward classes, Dalits, and minorities against the BJP.
The Pasi Community: The Deciding Factor
Both parties have fielded candidates from the Pasi community, which holds a decisive sway in the constituency with approximately 60,000 voters. This community was instrumental in the SP’s victory in the last Assembly elections when Awdhesh Prasad emerged victorious.
For this by-election, the SP has strategically nominated Ajit Prasad, son of Awdhesh Prasad, to leverage the community’s support and retain its hold over Milkipur. The BJP, on the other hand, has fielded Chandrabhan Paswan, aiming to make inroads into the Pasi vote bank.
What’s at Stake?
The Milkipur by-election is not just about winning a single Assembly seat; it has far-reaching implications for both parties:
- For the BJP, a victory would signal a consolidation of its base in Ayodhya ahead of the 2024 general elections.
- For the SP, retaining Milkipur is crucial to revive the momentum and rebuild the political narrative after recent setbacks.
With both Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav personally involved, Milkipur has become a battleground that will likely set the tone for future political contests in Uttar Pradesh.
