Date:17/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/17/stories/2008041750420100.htm

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BSP sweeps byelections in U.P.

Atiq Khan

LUCKNOW: The Bahujan Samaj Party swept the byelections in Uttar Pradesh, winning two Lok Sabha seats and three Assembly seats.

After the results were declared on Wednesday, a buoyant Chief Minister Mayawati said the verdict paved the way for the BSP’s success in next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

Ms. Mayawati described the verdict as a victory of her government’s policies and work culture.

She said the results had reiterated the people’s faith in the “sarvjan hitaya, sarvjan sukhaya” policy and showed that the social engineering formula was a success. “The resounding mandate has provided strength to the government.”

Criticises SP, Congress

Ms. Mayawati said that while the “love for the Dalits” (Dalit prem) of the Congress stood exposed, the “histrionics” of Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh, who campaigned with film actors, had failed to impress the voters.

The Khalilabad Lok Sabha seat was won by Bhishm Shankar alias Kushal Tewari of the BSP, who defeated his nearest SP rival Bhal Chandra Yadav by over 64,000 votes. Mr. Tewari got 2,18,393 votes and Mr. Yadav 1,53,761. Sanjay Jaiswal of the Congress finished third with 94,564 votes.

The Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat was won by Akbar Ahmed “Dumpy” of the BSP by a margin of over 54,000 votes.He polled 2,27,340 votes against 1,73,089 of Rama Kant Yadav of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who was placed second. Balram Yadav of the SP finished third with 1,56,621 votes.

The Bilgram, Karnailganj and Muradnagar Assembly seats were won by Rajni Tiwari, Brij Singh alias Braj Kunwari and Rajpal Tyagi, all of the BSP.

They defeated their nearest SP rivals, Vishram Singh Yadav and Yogesh Pratap Singh, in Bilgram and Karnailganj, and Ayub Khan of the Rashtriya Lok Dal in Muradnagar.