Lucknow:
In the Ferozabad Lok Sabha seat, after round seven of counting, actor Raj Babbar of the Congress is leading by 19,000 votes, placing Mulayam's daughter-in-law, Dimple Yadav, in second place.
This seat was won by Mulayam's son Akhilesh Yadav just over six months ago during the Lok Sabha elections. A Raj Babbar win of course will bring the Congress some cheer as Rahul Gandhi had campaigned prominently for the veteran actor and ex-Samajwadi Party leader.
Mayawati's BSP is leading in nine of the 11 assembly constituencies for which by-elections were held in Uttar Pradesh. While Rahul Gandhi spent a considerable amount of time travelling across the state before the elections, Mayawati did not campaign at all for the by elections here.
This is largely Samajwadi Party territory and the party had held five of the seats that by-elections were held for. At present it seems it will hold on to just one.
For the Congress it was important to hold on to the Padrauna and Jhansi seats, and to win a few more to prove that the Rahul wave that saw the party do remarkably well in the Lok Sabha elections still held good.
The BJP, which had won two of these 11 seats, is continuing it's disastrous UP showing in recent times.
Everyone's loss has been chief minister Mayawati's gain. In the Assembly, she already has a clear majority and adding these seats will be looked upon as a referendum on her two-and-a-half-years of governance.
This seat was won by Mulayam's son Akhilesh Yadav just over six months ago during the Lok Sabha elections. A Raj Babbar win of course will bring the Congress some cheer as Rahul Gandhi had campaigned prominently for the veteran actor and ex-Samajwadi Party leader.
Mayawati's BSP is leading in nine of the 11 assembly constituencies for which by-elections were held in Uttar Pradesh. While Rahul Gandhi spent a considerable amount of time travelling across the state before the elections, Mayawati did not campaign at all for the by elections here.
This is largely Samajwadi Party territory and the party had held five of the seats that by-elections were held for. At present it seems it will hold on to just one.
For the Congress it was important to hold on to the Padrauna and Jhansi seats, and to win a few more to prove that the Rahul wave that saw the party do remarkably well in the Lok Sabha elections still held good.
The BJP, which had won two of these 11 seats, is continuing it's disastrous UP showing in recent times.
Everyone's loss has been chief minister Mayawati's gain. In the Assembly, she already has a clear majority and adding these seats will be looked upon as a referendum on her two-and-a-half-years of governance.
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