UP Bypolls: All INDIA Bloc Candidates To Fight Elections On 'Cycle' Symbol, Says Akhilesh Yadav

Speaking about the UP Bypolls, Akhilesh Yadav asserted that the coming election will be fought for the protection of the country's Constitution, peace, and the honour of "Pichchde (backwards), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (Minorities)."

Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav addresses a press conference, at party office in Lucknow on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

UP Bypolls: In a major announcement, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav said on Wednesday that the candidates of the INDIA bloc are set to contest all nine seats in the upcoming bypolls on his party's election symbol, 'cycle.' He claimed that the opposition bloc's pursuit of victory, not any seat-sharing calculations, guided its decision.

"Congress and the Samajwadi Party are united and stand shoulder to shoulder for a big victory. The INDIA bloc is going to write a new chapter of victory in this by-election," Yadav said in a post on X. "With this unprecedented cooperation and support, every worker of 'INDIA bloc' on all nine assembly seats is filled with new energy with the resolve to win," he added.

‘बात सीट की नहीं जीत की है’ इस रणनीति के तहत ‘इंडिया गठबंधन’ के संयुक्त प्रत्याशी सभी 9 सीटों पर समाजवादी पार्टी के चुनाव चिन्ह ‘साइकिल’ के निशान पर चुनाव लड़ेंगे।

कांग्रेस और समाजवादी पार्टी एक बड़ी जीत के लिए एकजुट होकर, कंधे से कंधा मिलाकर साथ खड़ी है। इंडिया गठबंधन इस… — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 23, 2024

Speaking about the UP Bypolls, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asserted that the coming election will be fought for the protection of the country's Constitution, peace, and the honour of "Pichchde (backwards), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (Minorities)."

Bypolls will be held on November 13 on nine seats: Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sishamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj), and Kundarki (Moradabad).

Eight of these seats in the state fell vacant after their MLAs were elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha, while a bypoll was held on the Sisamau seat following the disqualification of SP MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.

The Election Commission has announced a by-election on nine seats, leaving out Milkipur (Ayodhya). The last date for filing nominations is October 25. The counting of votes will take place on November 23. The SP has already declared its candidates from Karhal, Sisamau, Phulpur, Milkipur, Katehari, Majahawan, and Meerapur.