Mayawati calls for BJP's defeat in Azamgarh bypoll over Agnipath; continues anti-SP tirade

The row over the Agnipath scheme became a talking point in the Azamgarh Lok Sabha bypoll with BSP supremo Mayawati raking up the issue against BJP.  Addressing a press briefing on Sunday, she called upon the people to defeat the JP Nadda-led party in order to avenge its anti-people policies like Agnipath. BSP has named former MLA Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali as its candidate from Azamgarh. While hailing the BSP candidate, Mayawati also renewed her attack on Samajwadi Party alleging that the latter had a secret understanding with BJP. 

Mayawati remarked, "Our candidate is a local resident and has been an MLA from BSP many times. During the COVID-19 period and floods, he has helped the needy people a lot. He didn't just help people from his own community. But, he has helped people belonging to all communities irrespective of party affiliation. On the other hand, the candidates of other parties are not visible during such phases. Our candidate stays among the people of Azamgarh for the majority of the time."

"Even though this is a bypoll, it is very important for people to defeat BJP to teach them a lesson over Agnipath and anti-people policies such as bulldozer which shows its arrogant style of functioning. Along with this, it can also punish SP for its secret understanding with BJP. This will establish the fact that BSP and not SP is the most powerful medium to defeat BJP in Uttar Pradesh. BJP and SP are two sides of the same coin," the former UP CM added. 

The Lok Sabha by-elections

The by-elections for Rampur and Azamgarh were necessitated after sitting MPs Azam Khan and Akhilesh Yadav resigned after their election to the Legislative Assembly in March. While the election in these SP bastions will take place on June 23, the results shall be declared three days later. While Akhilesh Yadav's cousin Dharmendra Yadav is in the poll fray from Azamgarh, SP has given the Rampur ticket to Asim Raja. Yadav served as a Lok Sabha MP from 2004 to 2019. On the other hand, BJP has named Ghanshyam Lodhi and popular actor Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' as its candidates from Rampur and Azamgarh respectively.