Political activities have gained momentum in Uttar Pradesh following the announcement by the Election Commission of the date for the by-poll to the prestigious Milkipur assembly seat in Ayodhya on February 5.
The ruling BJP and the opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) have locked horns over the seat. The SP has already announced Ayodhya SP MP Awadhesh Prasad’s son as its candidate, while the BJP is yet to name anyone.
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According to the EC’s schedule, the notification for the by-polls will be issued on January 10, with the last date for filing nominations set for January 17. Scrutiny of papers will take place the following day, and January 20 will be the last date for the withdrawal of nominations.
Polling will be held on February 5 and counting of votes will take place on February 8.
While the SP is fully confident after winning the Lok Sabha seat in Ayodhya, the BJP wants to overcome the disappointment of its defeat by winning this seat. After its defeat in the by-elections to nine seats in November 2024, BSP supremo Mayawati announced that her party would not contest the by-elections. In such a situation, there will be a direct contest between the ruling BJP and the SP in Milkipur.
In the 2022 assembly elections, SP’s Awadhesh Prasad won the Milkipur seat. In 2024, the party fielded him as the Lok Sabha candidate from the Ayodhya parliamentary seat, which he also won. Following this, he resigned from the Milkipur seat.
However, the BJP won 7 out of the 9 assembly by-polls held in November last year.
