The Opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) is holding statewide demonstrations on Thursday over the alleged rigging in district panchayat chairpersons and block heads’ polls that concluded on July 10 in Uttar Pradesh.

Akhilesh Yadav, the SP chief, said the protests will be organised at the tehsil level.
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“The Samajwadi Party won the maximum seats in the zila (district) panchayat election but the (ruling) BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) misused the government machinery to grab the zila panchayat chairpersons and block pramukh (head) posts. The SP candidates were not allowed to file nomination papers, the ward members were kidnapped, the police committed atrocities on several candidates.”
The SP plans to send a memorandum to the President over the alleged poll fraud.
The Uttar Pradesh Police have sounded an alert over the demonstrations and directed vigil at district levels to ensure that Covid protocol is not violated, and law and order is maintained, said an official.
The Uttar Pradesh government has denied allegations of rigging in the polls.
{{/usCountry}}The Uttar Pradesh government has denied allegations of rigging in the polls.
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