Polling begins for Kauriram Assembly by-elections in UP

Lucknow, Mar 25 (UNI) Polling started on a dull note for the Kauriram Assembly by-elections in Gorakhpur district today amid tight security arrangment.

According to the state election office sources, about 15 per cent of the electorate have exercised their franchise in the first three hours of polling.

The polling was by and large peaceful and there was no report of violence so far.

Bypoll to the constituency was necessitated after the Supreme Court quashed the election of Ram Bhual Nishad, now with SP. In the last elections in 2002, Mr Nishad, then a BSP candidate had won seat, but later on switched over to the SP.

The assembly constituency has a total of 3,26,000 voters including 1.81 lakh male and remaining female voters. Mr Nishad had bagged 29.79 per cent of total votes, while his nearest rival Ambika Singh (SP) who is now with BSP was close second with 29.37 per cent votes in the last assembly polls.

A total of seven candidates were in the fray including Ram Bhuwal Nishad (SP) Shital Pandey (BJP) and Shiv Shambhu Nishad (Cong). BSP is not contesting the elections this time.

Though, the emerging political permutations and combinations were still very vague in the seat, the electoral success of Mr Nishad seems to be difficult, especially due to another candidate of the Nishad community, from Congress, Shiv Shambu Nishad. The division of the Nishad vote is likely to help the BJP candidate Shital Pandey, who is banking on the support of BJP MP and Gorakhashapith successor Yogi Adityanath and a possible consolidation of upper caste votes in his favour.

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