In UP’s Phulpur, its Kurmi card pays as BJP retains stronghold for third time on the trot

The Yadav voters, the largest ascendant radical 2nd lone to Kurmis, were besides expected to play a cardinal relation successful determining the predetermination outcome.

Interestingly, Pooja Pal, the SP MLA from Chail successful Kaushambi, campaigned extensively for Patel, often referring to her husband’s execution and highlighting the justness she got nether Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s government.

The bypoll successful Phulpur was necessitated aft sitting BJP MLA Praveen Singh Patel won successful the precocious held Lok Sabha elections. Praveen Patel had won from the Assembly spot for 2 consecutive presumption connected a BJP ticket.

This by-election gave the BJP 2 reasons to celebrate. First, Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal campaigned successful enactment of Deepak Patel, signaling cross-party backing.

Her husband, erstwhile BSP MLA Raju Pal, was murdered successful a daylight shootout successful Prayagraj successful 2005 and gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his member Ashraf were premier suspects successful the case. The 2 were changeable dormant past twelvemonth portion successful constabulary custody. Six others progressive successful the sidesplitting were sentenced to beingness imprisonment successful March this year.

Also, Congress person Suresh Chandra Yadav’s determination to defy his party’s directive to contention the predetermination gave the BJP different crushed to celebrate. It lone created disorder among the Congress and SP workers. Yadav contested arsenic an independent, starring to his expulsion from the Congress for six years.

Deepak Patel secured 78,289 votes, defeating Samajwadi Party’s Mujtaba Siddiqui, his closest rival, by a borderline of 11,305 votes. BSP’s Jitendra Kumar Singh came 3rd with 20,342 votes, portion Suresh Chandra secured conscionable 1,389 votes.

Deepak Patel’s parent Kesari Devi won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Phulpur. Patel, who won successful the 2012 Assembly predetermination from Karachhana spot connected BSP ticket, joined the BJP successful 2018.