The upcoming by-election in Ayodhya's Milkipur assembly has gained interest. Following SP and BJP, the Azad Samaj Party has announced its candidacy here. The party head and MP from Nagina, Chandrashekhar Azad 'Ravan', has strategically placed Suraj Chaudhary as the candidate, playing a strong hand in the Milkipur by-election.
It's noteworthy that Suraj Chaudhary was previously a prominent leader within the Samajwadi Party but has now turned rebel against SP to contest in Milkipur. His entry has turned the elections into a triangular contest.
See Also - BJP has given the ticket to Chandrabhan Paswan from Milkipur, potentially challenging the son of SP MP, Awadhesh Prasad.
Once considered a significant face of the Samajwadi Party, Suraj Chaudhary was closely allied with SP leader Awadhesh Prasad. Recently, he left SP with 500 supporters to join Chandrashekhar Azad's Bhim Army. This election serves as a platform for Chaudhary to reinforce his political identity and poses a formidable challenge for the Samajwadi Party. The BJP is also keenly observing Chaudhary's electoral strategy.
Speaking of the electorate in the Milkipur by-election, there are approximately 362,000 voters, out of which 160,000 are Dalit voters who could potentially sway the election results. Political analysts suggest that, with Congress and BSP abstaining from the election, discouraged voters from SP and BJP might support the Azad Samaj Party's candidate. However, the actual results will only be known on the day they are announced.
Who are the contenders from SP and BJP?
For the Milkipur seat, Samajwadi Party has fielded Ajit Prasad, the son of Ayodhya MP Awadhesh Prasad. On the other hand, BJP has nominated Chandrabhan Paswan. Congress has stepped back to support SP by not fielding a candidate, and BSP is out of the race. Nominations for the Milkipur by-election begin on January 17, voting will occur on February 5, and results will be declared on February 8.
