77 candidates in fray for 2 LS, 3 Assembly bypolls in UP

Lucknow, Mar 29 (UNI) Altogether 77 candidates are in the fray for two Lok Sabha and three asembly by-elections in Uttar Pradesh scheduled to be held on April 12.

On the last day of withdrawal today, six candidates withdrew their nominations.

During scrutiny on Thursday last, nomination papers of three candidates were rejected.

According to state election office sources here, highest number of three candidates withdrew their nominations in Colonelganj assembly seat followed by two in Khalilabad Lok Sabha seat and one in Azamgardh Lok Sabha seat.

The maximum number of 20 candidates are in the fray for the Khalilabad Lok Sabha seat, while 15 candidates would try their luck from Azamgarh LS seat.

A total of 13 candidates are in contest from Bilgram assembly seat, 16 for Colonelganj and 13 for the Muradnagar assembly seats.

The voting for all the by-election would be held on April 12 from 0700 hrs to 1700 hrs while counting of votes would take place on April 16.

The by-election for the two Lok Sabha seat was necessitated, due to disqualification of BSP members Bhalchand Yadav (Khalilabad) and Ramakant Yadav (Azamgarh) under Anti-Defection Law.

However, both the disqualified members are contesting the by-elections, while Bhalchand is now a Samajwadi Party candidate and Ramakant as BJP nominee.

Bilgram assembly seat had fell vacant, following the demise of sitting BSP member Upendra Tiwari. Sitting Congress members Ajay Pratap Singh had resigned from the Colonelganj seat and joined the BSP. Similarly, independent MLA Rajpal Tyagi had resigned from Moradnagar seat (Ghaziabad) and joined the BSP.

Mr Tyagi now contesting the poll as BSP nominee, while sister of Ajay Pratap Singh is the candidate of the ruling BSP in the bypolls.

UNI MB SV KP1750