Congress draws blank in Varanasi region of western UP

 Notwithstanding its success in the general elections, Congress failed to open its account in the Varanasi region of eastern Uttar Pradesh, where it had made its presence felt after 15 years by winning the seat in the temple town in 2004 parliamentary polls.      

Samajwadi Party emerged as the best performer in the region by clinching six seats, including Ballia, Mirzapur and Chandauli while BSP came a close second pocketing four seats. The remaining two seats of Varanasi and Azamgarh went to BJP's kitty.      

Though campaigning by charismatic Congress leader Rahul Gandhi apparently paid rich dividends for the party, it could not make much impact on the electorate in this region comprising 12 seats.      

In 2004 general elections, it was the BJP which had drawn a blank in the region.      

Murli Manohar Joshi saved the pride of BJP by defeating BSP candidate Mukhtar Ansari in Varanasi as another party nominee from Azamgarh Ramakant Yadav won the seat defeating sitting MP Akbar Ahmed Dumpy of BSP.      

SP candidate Pakauri Kole defeated his BSP rival Ram Chandra Tyagi at Robertsganj (SC) seat while party candidate Neeraj Shekhar, son of former prime minister (late) Chandra Shekhar, registered a victory in the Ballia seat.