SP wins 36 seats in district Panchyat Chairman polls

Samajwadi Party today claimed to have bagged 36 district Panchyat Chairman posts unopposed, including one in Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi.
"Of 74 districts, where elections for the post of district Panchayat Chairman are going on, the party has won unopposed in 36 districts, including Amethi. It's a big success of the party," SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury said.
Today was the last date of withdrawal of nominations. Elections are scheduled on January 7 following which the State Election Commission will declare the formal results.
SP candidates won unopposed in Amethi, Lalitpur and Sant Kabir Nagar after withdrawals.
In an embarrasment to the Congress, the party's Amethi nominee for the post of Chairman of district Panchayat, Krishna Chaurasiya, withdrew her nomination paving way for the unopposed election of SP candidate.

Shiv Kali Maurya is the lone nominee left for the post of Zila Panchayat Chairman in Amethi after the withdrawal of nomination of Congress candidate Krishna Chaurasiya, District Magistrate, Amethi, Jagatraj Tewari said.

There was a direct contest between Congress and Samajwadi Party for the post in Gandhi's constituency.
Local unit president of the Congress, Yogendra Misra said that the party has nothing to do with the withdrawal of Chaurasiya's candidature and it was her personal decision.
"Had she contested, the party would have extended full support," Misra said.
"She has not taken party's advice on withdrawing her candidature and it is her personal decision," said Rahul Gandhi's representative Chandrakant Dubey who was present during the filing of nomination by Chaurasiya.