UP bypolls: BJP's Dinesh Lal Nirhua leading in SP's citadel Azamgarh

Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 26 : As the counting of votes for the Azamgarh Lok Sabha bypoll is underway, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and Bhojpuri actor-singer Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirhua' is leading with a margin of over 11,000 votes, according to Election Commission of India.
This is the second stronghold of Samajwadi party where the BJP is unfurling the lotus in UP under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath.
Samajwadi Party (SP) fielded Dharmendra Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielded Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali against BJP candidate.
As per the latest trends, Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirhua' got 2,94,377 votes, SP's Dharmendra Yadav bagged 2,83,164 votes and Shah Alam got 2,52,725 votes so far.
A total of 13 candidates are in the fray in the Azamgarh bypoll.
The Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat is considered the bastion of the Opposition Samajwadi Party in the state. The bye-elections to the Azamgarh seat were necessitated due to the resignation of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly as an MLA in the elections earlier this year.
The four assembly constituencies - Azamgarh, Mubarakpur, Sagdi, Gopalpur and Mehnagar - falling under this Lok Sabha seat were won by the SP in the recent assembly elections earlier this year.
Meanwhile, in a major political development in Uttar Pradesh, BJP candidate Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi on Sunday won the Lok Sabha bypoll in Rampur under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanatah, the bastion of Samajwadi Party (SP) big shot Azam Khan.
In Rampur, BJP had fielded Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi who recently joined the party. Whereas, SP candidate Asim Raja was handpicked by Azam Khan. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) did not contest from Rampur.
"I dedicate my victory to the workers of the party. They have been working continuously day and night. I want to thank the people of Rampur. BJP has always been working for the development of the public," BJP's winning candidate Lodhi said.
"History being made. BJP wins Rampur LS by-election by 37,797 votes. Azamgarh is also about to win. The death knell to communal, divisive, minority appeasement politics. The mandate for Politics of Vikas practised by PM Narendra Modi ably assisted by CM Yogi Adityanath," said BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh.
"We have won in Rampur. We're also ahead of others in Azamgarh. I'd like to thank the voters who're handing us this victory based on PM Modi's numerous welfare schemes and the performance of the CM," said Brajesh Pathak, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister.
"People are sick and tired of the Samajwadi Party. People don't want any more riots. They want peace. They want development," he added.
Rampur Lok Sabha seat went vacant by the resignation of veteran SP leader Azam Khan after he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in the recently held state election.
Khan was elected MP from Rampur seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.