BJP and RLD Announce Candidates for Uttar Pradesh Bypolls

The BJP and its ally RLD have announced candidates for eight out of nine assembly seats in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh bypolls. The elections are set for November 13. The opposition Samajwadi Party, backed by the INDIA bloc, will field candidates for all seats, while Congress will abstain.

The ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh has unveiled its candidates for eight of the nine assembly seats facing by-elections on November 13, reserving one seat for its coalition partner, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

The BJP declared Ramvir Singh Thakur, Sanjeev Sharma, Surendra Diler, Anujesh Yadav, Deepak Patel, Dharmraj Nishad, Suchismita Maurya, and Suresh Awasthi as its nominees for seats including Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair (SC), Karhal, Phulpur, Katehari, Majhawan, and Sisamau, respectively. Meanwhile, the RLD announced Mithlesh Pal for Meerapur.

Notably, Suresh Awasthi, the BJP candidate from Sisamau, previously contested unsuccessfully in 2017. The Sisamau seat became available after Irfan Solanki of the Samajwadi Party was disqualified following a criminal conviction. With the opposition Samajwadi Party and its INDIA bloc allies also announcing their candidates, the political landscape is set for a competitive election, with the Congress choosing not to participate.

(With inputs from agencies.)