BJP candidate defeated 11 Muslim candidates in SP stronghold in UP by-polls

Thakur won by a margin of over 1.4 lakh votes, reclaiming the seat for the BJP after a 30-year hiatus, India Today reported.

Kundarki, historically a Samajwadi Party (SP) stronghold, was one of nine Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh where by-polls coincided with Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

Thakur's victory marked a major setback for the SP, as he defeated SP candidate Mohammad Rizwan in what was described as a one-sided contest.

Other contenders included Chand Babu of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), Mohammad Varish of the AIMIM, and Rafatullah of the Bahujan Samaj Party, the report said.

According to the report, Kundarki is located in West UP's Sambhal Lok Sabha constituency and part of the Moradabad district. It is notable for its 60% Muslim population.

The BJP's decision to field the only Hindu candidate in the constituency, against 11 Muslim contenders, played a key role in this significant win.

SP's Mohammad Rizwan, a veteran with nearly 40 years of political experience, was the INDIA bloc's candidate, the report said.

Rizwan, who first won Kundarki in 2002, faced defeats in 2007 but regained the seat with consecutive victories in 2012 and 2017.

This loss signals a significant political shift in what was considered an SP bastion.

The election process in Kundarki was marred by allegations of irregularities.

SP candidate Rizwan alleged voter suppression and called for a repoll, claiming that the administration and police had acted with bias to intimidate SP supporters and prevent minority community voters from casting their votes, the report said.

In a letter to the Election Commission, Rizwan stated, "The administration and police acted in a biased manner since morning, intimidating our supporters. We request the poll to be cancelled and a repoll to be conducted."

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav echoed these concerns, accusing the Uttar Pradesh Police of unlawfully checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs, and reported on social media that certain communities were being deliberately prevented from voting.

Following these allegations, the Election Commission suspended seven police personnel.

Despite these complaints, the BJP's win in Kundarki highlights a major inroad into an SP stronghold.