Akhilesh Yadav accuses BJP of rigging in Milkipur assembly by-election

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of large-scale rigging in the Milkipur assembly by-election and the Election Commission of not performing its duty despite "overwhelming evidence of foul play".

In a statement here, he claimed the bypoll was marred by multiple irregularities, orchestrated at the behest of the BJP.

He said the Samajwadi Party submitted nearly 500 complaints to the Election Commission, alleging rigging, fake voting, and intimidation and removal of booth agents by BJP-backed individuals.

However, the EC has failed to address any of the complaints, he charged.

"The Election Commission is not performing its duty. Despite overwhelming evidence of foul play, no action has been taken," Yadav alleged.

He further accused the Yogi Adityanath government of deploying election officers and workers based on caste, adding instructions were sent directly from BJP headquarters in Lucknow.

Yadav also alleged that police and administrative officials were collaborating with the BJP to suppress fair voting.

"The BJP's interference in the election process was blatant. Voters were threatened, and fake votes were cast to manipulate the outcome," he alleged, adding the public's right to vote was being compromised by these actions.

The former chief minister also accused the BJP government of strategically deploying election officials from various regions, based on caste affiliations, to influence the outcome.

Polling for the Milkipur seat was held on Wednesday. The bypoll has turned into a prestige battle between the SP and the BJP as the seat is part of the politically significant Ayodhya district.

The bypoll was necessitated after Awadhesh Prasad vacated the seat on winning the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Faizabad.

Even as the SP is looking to retain the seat, the BJP sees the election as an opportunity to avenge its loss in Faizabad. In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, Milkipur was the only assembly seat the BJP lost in the Ayodhya district.