Amid bypoll voting, Akhilesh claims 'electoral malpractice', slams UP Police

The Samajwadi Party president slammed the Yogi Adityanath government and said the police had been briefed not to allow SP workers to vote in Mainpuri, Rampur constituencies.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, along with wife and Samajwadi Party's Mainpuri candidate Dimple Yadav, arrived in hometurf of Saifi on Monday to cast their votes for the high-octane Lok Sabha seat by-poll, previously held by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. After casting his vote, Akhilesh Yadav also held a media briefing where he alleged electoral malpractices and said the administration was working at the behest of the ruling party.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav addresses the media after casting his vote for Mainpuri bypolls in UP's Saifai on Monday.(ANI)

The Samajwadi Party president slammed the Yogi Adityanath government and said the police had been briefed not to allow SP workers to vote in Mainpuri, Rampur constituencies. “Police had been deployed to stop party supporters from coming to our meeting…Central forces have been deployed but are being guided by local police,” said Yadav as he alleged the UP police "is biased and misleading central forces".

He further took a potshot at the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Raghuraj Singh Shakya and said the party hired an SP candidate as they had no one in Mainpuri. “We will win in Mainpuri because Netaji worked for Mainpuri,” he said, instilling confidence in retaining the Yadav family’s stronghold seat from where his wife is contesting.

In a series of attacks, Yadav further claimed that "the BJP workers were causing a ruckus and framing SP counterparts by wearing the party's symbolic red cap". He also questioned the Election Commission’s “silence” and said, “We are forced to demand for army deployment in Rampur for a free and fair election.” Earlier, Akhilesh's uncle - Shivpal Yadav - had also alleged electoral malpractice and claimed that the police were preventing the Samajwadi Party supporters from casting votes.

Other than UP’s Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, Rampur Sadar, and Khatauli Assembly seats, bye-elections are happening in four more states. The results will be announced on December 8, along with Himachal and Gujarat elections results.