Milkipur Assembly by-election is a fierce BJP-SP contest, with BJP aiming to maintain its prestige in what is essentially Ayodhya district.
New Delhi: Milkipur is gearing up for a heated electoral battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP), as both parties have launched extensive campaigns for the Assembly by-election in Ayodhya district, Uttar Pradesh. The by-election, scheduled for Wednesday, February 5, coincides with the Delhi Assembly elections, with results for both elections set to be announced on Saturday, February 8. A senior SP leader expressed confidence in their party’s chances of securing the Milkipur seat, citing their victory in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency.
Meanwhile, a BJP leader asserted that they would dislodge the SP from Milkipur, as they recently did in other by-elections, where the BJP secured seven out of nine Assembly seats.
Having lost the Faizabad parliamentary constituency to the SP, the BJP is determined to retain the Milkipur Assembly seat. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken a personal interest in the contest, visiting the constituency twice and directly overseeing campaign efforts. This election holds significant importance for Yogi Adityanath, serving as a test of his political clout and public support—not just for the opposition, but also for skeptics within his own party who question his popularity.
Additionally, the BJP views a victory in Milkipur as essential to maintaining its prestige in Ayodhya. However, Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad argued that the BJP faces high levels of anti-incumbency, claiming that frequent visits by the Chief Minister might further erode the party’s vote share.
Interestingly, neither the SP nor the BJP has fielded a star candidate for the crucial Milkipur by-election. The BJP has placed its trust in Chandrabhan Paswan, a practicing lawyer and grassroots-level party worker, to reclaim the Milkipur Assembly seat from the SP. Meanwhile, the SP has chosen Ajit Prasad, the son of Awadhesh Prasad, who vacated the Milkipur seat after winning the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency during last year’s general elections.
The Milkipur Assembly seat is regarded as an SP stronghold, as the party has won it six times, including twice in by-elections. SP emerged victorious in 1996, 2002, 2012, and 2022 state Assembly elections, along with the 1998 and 2004 by-elections. In contrast, the BJP has only won the seat twice, in 1991 and 2017. For the BJP, winning Milkipur holds immense significance, underscored by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally leading the party’s campaign efforts. To strengthen their position, the BJP has deployed a team of senior leaders, with cabinet minister Surya Pratap Shahi heading the campaign after the Chief Minister.
The BJP has adjusted its election campaign strategy for the Milkipur by-election. Initially, party leaders urged voters to avenge the defeat of Ram bhakts in the Faizabad Lok Sabha elections (which also includes Ayodhya). However, the focus has now shifted to the “rectification of errors,” drawing parallels to the BJP’s victories in Haryana and Maharashtra. While the Ram temple issue remains central to its campaign, the BJP is also emphasising its government’s welfare schemes, such as the distribution of free ration, to connect with voters.
On the other hand, the SP is banking on the goodwill of Awadhesh Prasad, whose previous contributions as a minister and MLA are expected to resonate with regional voters. Additionally, the SP has promised to address the grievances of farmers in Ayodhya impacted by land acquisition without proper compensation. Former SP leaders have assured that if the party returns to power in 2027, no land will be acquired without fair compensation. In cases of acquisition, six times the compensation will be provided. This promise is seen as an effort to win the support of farmers in Milkipur and Ayodhya.
The BJP is urging voters to reject the SP candidate by accusing the party of nepotism, while the SP has labelled BJP candidate Chandrabhan Paswan as an outsider, pointing out that he hails from a neighbouring constituency and is not a local resident. The BJP also believes that SP rebel Suraj Chaudhary, who is contesting on a ticket from Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan’s Azad Samaj Party, will help their cause by splitting the anti-government vote share.
With the Congress and BSP absent from the contest, Dalit voters are left to choose between the BJP and the SP in this closely fought by-election. While some argue that the SP will no longer benefit from the BSP’s absence, the SP counters this claim, stating that voters are wise and will support their candidate, knowing they stand the best chance of defeating the BJP.
Analysts suggest that both the SP and the BJP face significant challenges in this election, with neither party confident of a clear victory. Each side is attempting to capitalise on the other’s weaknesses, while also focusing on mobilising support from the specific sub-castes of the candidates. All the candidates in this election are Dalits, as the Milkipur Assembly seat is reserved for the Scheduled Caste community.