Politics
Uttar Pradesh: Samajwadi Party Leader Azam Khan Alleges That 'Police Stopped People From Voting' In Rampur And Azamgarh By-polls
- The two districts recorded low voter turn-out, particularly Rampur.
- As per reports, the polling percentage in Azamgarh was 49.43 per cent and in Rampur approximately 41.39.
Samajwadi Party Leader Azam Khan
Azamgarh and Rampur districts of Uttar Pradesh went to by-elections on Thursday (23 June). Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, former Member of Parliament has alleged that the Uttar Pradesh police "wreaked havoc" on the eve of the by-elections.
A report on the Times of India website mentions that Khan said that the "stick wielding" police personnel "terrorised and humiliated voters" and stopped them from going to the polling booths. Votes for the two by-polls will be counted today (25 June). Khan was released from bail last month. In this video, Khan alleges that the state police 'are stopping people from voting'.
Azamgarh and Rampur are strongholds of the Samajwadi Party. Known for favouring the SP with the consolidation of the Muslim-Yadav vote banks, the two seats have been a reason for cheer for the Akhilesh Yadav-led party. He won Azamgarh in 2019 and Khan won in Rampur. Yadav and Khan won the assembly election held earlier this year.
They have to vacate the two Lok Sabha seats in order to continue serving as MLAs. The by-polls are said to be a battle of prestige for the SP as the party would like to defend and hold the two seats in the state currently led by Yogi Adityanath (second term).
The two districts recorded low voter turn-out, particularly Rampur. The TOI report adds that Azam Khan's stronghold and his Vidhan Sabha constituency Rampur Sadar recorded lowest voter turnout. The report adds that Rampur superintendent of police rejected Khan's allegations.
The polling percentage in Azamgarh was 49.43 per cent and in Rampur approximately 41.39, this report says. Another report mentions that the Election Commission said in a periodical report that polling was progressing peacefully without any “serious complaint”. The Samajwadi Party leaders have said that booth agents "had been removed" from polling centres in Azamgarh. They have demanded appropriate action.
Khan is backing Asim Raza, a trusted aide while the Bharatiya Janata Party's Ghanshyam Lodhi, known for being Khan's loyalist once, is fighting against Khan's own efforts to register a bigger victory for the Samajwadi than in 2019 (Lok Sabha poll). The Congress, known for its influence in Rampur in the past, and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party, have stayed away from the contest in Rampur.
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