‘Samajwadi Party making excuses’: Yogi as Gola Gokarnnath bypoll campaign peaks

First electoral test for newly appointed BJP State president and secretary sees bitter war of words, with the SP alleging Yadav police personnel were being sent on forced leave

Campaigning for the Gola Gokarnnath Assembly bypoll reached its climax on Monday, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressing a rally in support of BJP candidate Aman Giri, during which he alleged the Samajwadi Party (SP) had begun “making excuses” for fear of losing the byelection.

The campaign in the last two days has seen the top leadership of both the BJP and the SP taking potshots at each other.

“The Samajwadi Party has already begun making excuses out of fear of losing the election. Earlier, they used to blame the EVM [electronic voting machine]. Now, they’re saying that we are trying to forcefully win the election. They must know that elections are won with public support. The one who lives up to the expectations of the voters will win,” Mr. Adityanath said, addressing the rally at Gola Gokarnnath.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of sitting BJP MLA Arvind Giri, who passed away due to a cardiac arrest in September. The saffron party has fielded Aman Giri, 26, the son of the deceased MLA, as its candidate. The SP has given its ticket to former MLA Vinay Tiwari, who represented the seat from 2012-2017.

The bypoll, the first electoral test for the newly appointed BJP State president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary and general secretary (organisation), Dharampal, has resulted in the BJP deputing to the campaign dozen of Ministers and MLAs, apart from the organisation’s rank and file. On the other hand, the SP is running a relatively silent voter campaign focused on door-to-door outreach led by the party’s second-rung leaders.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress, the other two major parties in U.P., are not contesting the bypoll.

SP chief and former U.P. CM Akhilesh Yadav has alleged that police personnel from the Yadav community were being identified and sent on forced leave. He urged the Election Commission of India to take immediate action for holding fair and free elections.