SP, BJP contest head-on in Mainpuri bypoll after 7 nominations cancelled

Bypolls to the Mainpuri parliamentary constituency will witness a direct contest between the Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav and the BJP'S Raghuraj Singh Shakya after seven of 13 nomination papers rejected during scrutiny, an election official said here on Saturday.

The nomination of seven candidates, including Ramakant Kashyap of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), were rejected during Friday's scrutiny, the official said.

The bypoll in Mainpuri was necessitated by the death of Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Thirteen candidates, including Kashyap and Independents, had filed their nominations from Mainpuri.

November 21 is the last date for withdrawal of candidatures.

The SP is aiming for a victory in its bastion to pay tribute to party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. It has also ensured support from party chief Akhilesh Yadav's uncle and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) (PSPL) President Shivpal Yadav.

While Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav have been estranged at times, the latter has mellowed in recent weeks and asked his party activists to ensure the victory of "badi bahu" (elder daughter-in-law) Dimple Yadav.

Shivpal Yadav's tilt towards the SP has come as a blow to the BJP, which fielded his protege Shakya in the hope of gaining support from the PSPL 'strongman'.

His Jaswantnagar Assembly segment is part of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency, as is Akhilesh Yadav's Karhal Assembly seat.

The BJP, on the other hand, is hoping that a victory in Mainpuri would boost its quest to win all 80 Parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 general elections. It is upbeat about its chances after breaching SP strongholds Azamgarh and Rampur in the June bypolls.