SP candidates leading in Rampur and Azamgarh

Lucknow (UP): The Samajwadi Party candidates were leading in both Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha seats, counting for which began Sunday morning.

According to available trends, SP candidate Mohd Asim Raja has a lead of over 9,987 votes in Rampur over his nearest rival Ghanshyam Lodhi of the BJP.

In Azamgarh, SP's Dharmendra Yadav is leading by 4,917 votes over BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua', his nearest rival.

BSP's Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali is trailing at third spot in Azamgarh.

While in Rampur there is direct fight between SP and BJP, Azamgarh is witnessing a triangular contest with BSP forming the third corner.

The bypolls were necessitated due to the resignations of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and party leader Azam Khan from Azamgarh and Rampur seats respectively. Both leaders had quit as Lok Sabha MPs following their election to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in the elections held earlier this year.

Over 35 lakh people were eligible to vote in the bypolls to decide the fate of 19 candidates.

In Rampur, the BJP had fielded Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi, who recently joined the party. Asim Raja, handpicked by Azam Khan, is the SP candidate.

The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) did not contest from Rampur. The Azamgarh seat saw a triangular contest among the BJP's Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirhua', a Bhojpuri actor-singer, the SP's Dharmendra Yadav and the BSP's Shah Alam, also known as Guddu Jamali.