Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 20 : BJP candidate from Sishmau, Suresh Awasthi on Wednesday alleged that Samajwadi Party candidate Naseem Solanki came with SP goons to cast "fake votes" and urged the administration to restrict his entry at any polling station.
"(Samajwadi Party candidate) Naseem Solanki came here with Samajwadi Party goons to cast fake votes. I request the administration that he should not be allowed to enter any polling station. And even if he goes, he should go as a candidate, so many goons should not be allowed with him," Suresh Awasthi told reporters.
BJP's Suresh Awasthi is locked in a direct contest with Samajwadi Party's (SP) Nassem Solanki.
Earlier today, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad expressed confidence in NDA candidates contesting elections in nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh bypolls and asserted that the candidates will win by a 'huge majority'.
Speaking to ANI, he said, "The candidates of the NDA are going to win with a huge majority. The public is voting for us on the basis of the promises we made. Others have united to stop the progress of the country."
Uttar Pradesh Minister OP Rajbhar stated that the opposition is creating 'drama' due to their 'frustration and disappointment'.
"The feedback we got from the public is that they want to vote for the ruling government. The drama that the opposition is creating is due to their frustration and disappointment, and the public knows that giving another two and a half years to the opposition would be like creating a hurdle in the path of development, and the opposition also knows that the people will not vote for them," OP Rajbhar said.
On ruckus at a polling station, Kanpur Police Commissioner Akhil Kumar said that PWe have received a complaint. We have asked them (BJP candidate) to file an FIR. Legal action would be taken..."
Notably, the voting for nine seats in Uttar Pradesh--Meerapur, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Karhal, Sishamau, Phulpur, Katehari, and Majhawan--are underway.
As of 3 pm, in Uttar Pradesh by-polls, Meerapur recorded a voter turnout of 49.06 per cent, Majhwan 43.64 per cent, Khair 39.86 per cent, Phulpur 36.58 per cent, Kundarki 50.03 per cent, Karhal 44.70 per cent, Katehari 49.29 per cent, Ghaziabad 27.44 per cent and Sishmau 40.29 per cent.
The by-elections in Uttar Pradesh are significant for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which suffered a major setback in the state, winning only 36 out of 80 seats in the last elections.
The results for all the seats in Maharashtra and Jharkhand and by-poll sets will be announced on November 23.