With the establishment of Narendra Modi's government for the third time, the gears of governance have been set in motion since the first cabinet meeting on June 10. New ministers are assuming their duties while veterans press on with their ongoing responsibilities. Meanwhile, the spotlight is on Uttar Pradesh's 9 assembly and 1 council seats. Due to the sitting lawmakers becoming Members of Parliament, they are sequentially resigning from their legislative roles, paving the way for by-elections within the next six months.
In fact, of the 9 assembly seats in focus, the Samajwadi Party holds 4, while the BJP has 3, and the RLD-Nishad Party each have one legislator. Notably, Jitin Prasada, the PWD Minister in the Yogi government and member of the council, was fielded by the BJP from Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat. He emerged victorious against SP's Bhagwat Saran Gangwar by a substantial margin of 164,935 votes. Prasada was chosen to fill the shoes of former MP Varun Gandhi. Following his resignation from the council, Jitin Prasada has been appointed as the State Minister for Commerce & Industry and Electronics & Information Technology in Modi's third government.
These UP Legislators Will Resign
1. SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav (Legislator from Karhal Assembly Seat of Mainpuri)
SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, current legislator of the Mainpuri constituency's Karhal assembly seat, has triumphed in the Lok Sabha elections from Kannauj. His move to the national political stage will be accompanied by relinquishing his state legislative position, allowing for the power duo of husband and wife, Akhilesh and Dimple, to make their appearance in parliament. Dimple Yadav has won the election from Mainpuri.
2. SP's Awadhesh Prasad (From Faizabad's Milkipur Assembly Seat)
The veteran SP legislator from Faizabad's Milkipur assembly seat, Awadhesh Prasad, was a contender in the recent Lok Sabha elections. He delivered a crushing defeat to BJP's two-time MP Lallu Singh from the Faizabad constituency, which also includes the Ayodhya assembly segment. This significant win for the SP opens up many interpretations, as the nine-time legislator Awadhesh Prasad will vacate his assembly seat, triggering a by-election in Milkipur.
3. SP's Lalji Verma (From Ambedkar Nagar's Katehari Assembly Seat)
Lalji Verma, the legislator from Katehari assembly seat in Ambedkar Nagar, has clinched a remarkable victory in the Lok Sabha elections. Contesting with the SP ticket, he secured the Ambedkar Nagar constituency by a margin of 137,247 votes. Here, BJP's Ritesh Pandey garnered 407,712 votes, while BSP's Kamar Hayat stood at 199,499 votes. The Ambedkar Nagar constituency, once considered a stronghold of BSP chief Mayawati, witnessed a direct contest between SP and BJP this time around. Verma, who earned 544,959 votes, will step down from his legislative seat following his win.
4. SP's Zia Ur Rehman Barq (From Moradabad's Kundarki Assembly Seat)
Representing Moradabad's Kundarki assembly seat, SP legislator Zia Ur Rehman Barq has won the Lok Sabha election from the Sambhal constituency by a lead of 121,494 votes. A first-time MP, Barq succeeds in a constituency deemed an SP bastion. The seat was previously won by Shafiqur Rahman Barq in 2019. With the victory, Zia Ur Rehman, grandson of the former MP, will now resign from his assembly position.
5. BJP's Anup Valmiki Pradhan (From Aligarh's Khair Assembly Seat)
Anup Valmiki Pradhan, holding the Aligarh's Khair assembly seat, was BJP's candidate for the Hathras Lok Sabha seat. He won with a significant lead of approximately 150,000 votes. Valmiki, who also serves as a state minister in the Yogi government and began his political journey from village panchayats, will now step down from his role as a legislator having secured a parliamentary position.
6. BJP's Atul Garg (From Ghaziabad Assembly Seat)
Atul Garg, elected twice from the Ghaziabad Sadar assembly seat in 2017 and 2022, was the BJP's nominee for the Lok Sabha elections. He decisively defeated Congress's Dolly Sharma for the Ghaziabad constituency with over 3 million votes. Garg, son of Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation's first mayor Dinesh Chand Garg and former health minister in the previous Yogi government, will resign from his legislative duties following his successful bid for MP.
7. BJP's Pravin Patel (From Phulpur Assembly Seat)
Elected as a BJP legislator from the Phulpur assembly seat in Prayagraj district, Pravin Patel won the Lok Sabha seat from Phulpur. He narrowly defeated SP's Amar Nath Singh Maurya by 4,332 votes. Patel, son of the former Congress legislator Mahendra Pratap Patel, will resign from his current legislative position.
8. RLD's Chandan Chauhan (From Mirapur Assembly Seat)
Chandan Chauhan, representing the Mirapur assembly seat, contested for and won the Bijnor Lok Sabha constituency on an RLD ticket, part of an alliance with BJP. Chauhan, a descendant of former Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Narayan Singh, secured victory in a three-way contest. Chauhan will tender his resignation as a legislator, following his ascension as an MP.
9. Nishad Party's Vinod Kumar Bind (From Mirzapur District's Majhwa Assembly Seat)
Vinod Kumar Bind, legislative representative of Mirzapur's Majhwa assembly seat, ran as a BJP candidate from the Bhadohi Lok Sabha seat. He secured a win against TMC's candidate Latiteshpati Tripathi. Bind, registering a victory by 44,746 votes, will resign from his assembly role to take up his new responsibility as an MP. After his resignation, the Majhwa assembly seat will also see an upcoming by-election.
Resignation Required Within 14 Days of Election
It's pertinent to note that according to the rules, a leader must step down from their assembly membership within 14 days of getting elected to another chamber. Subsequently, by-elections must be conducted within six months for the now-vacant legislative seats. Thus, the aforementioned legislators who have ascended to MPs, are expected to resign in the coming 1-2 days. Following their resignations, the Election Commission will initiate preparations for by-elections and announce relevant dates.
