UP Bypolls: SP chief accuses BJP of using police to show 'party power' in Kundarki

Lucknow, Nov 17 (PTI) Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused the ruling BJP of showing 'party power' by moving a contingent of policemen in the Kundarki assembly constituency in Moradabad district in Uttar Pradesh ahead of November 20 bypolls.

Yadav posted a video on X and said, "Don't make the mistake of considering this as war-level preparation on the China border, this is Kundarki in UP where assembly bye-election is being held." He further said that elections are rigged under the BJP rule and the people of the state have lost faith in law and order.

"That is why this parade of 'party power' is being done to win the trust of the people," he said in his post on X.

"However, the media believes that this process is not about removing fear from the minds, but more about instilling fear in the minds, so that the ruling 'party' gets 'strength' in the elections and the people come out to vote in minimum numbers," he added.

Yadav further stated that people voting in minimum numbers would make it easier to commit 'electoral frauds'. However, the citizens would come out in large numbers to vote and remove the BJP from power.

He added, "In this regard, there is a request filled with a warning to the Election Commission to foil this conspiracy to reduce voting. This time the public will be deployed with their mobile cameras and will not rest until any person at any level who creates disturbance is taken to court and punished." "The public has accepted the slogan 'Matdaan Bhi, Saavdhaan Bhi' (vote and be cautious) and is ready to do anything to protect its vote. This time the BJP electoral scammers should wish luck for themselves," Yadav said.

In Uttar Pradesh, nine assembly seats are going to polls on November 20 -- Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sisamau (Kanpur City), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad).

Eight of these seats fell vacant after their MLAs were elected as Lok Sabha MPs, while a bypoll is being held on the Sisamau seat due to the disqualification of SP MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.

In the 2022 assembly polls, Sishamau, Katehari, Karhal and Kundarki were held by the SP, while the BJP won Phulpur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan and Khair.

The Meerapur seat was held by the RLD, which is now an ally of the BJP in the NDA.

The Congress is not contesting the bypolls and supporting its INDIA bloc partner SP, while the BSP is contesting solo on all nine seats. PTI