SP's defeat in bypolls a victory against goonism BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya

Prayagraj (UP), Nov 26 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Tuesday said defeat of the Samajwadi Party in bypolls was a defeat of goons, mafia.
     "In this election, not only the Samajwadi Party has lost, but the criminals, mafia, goons, rioters, corrupt and murderers have also lost," Maurya told reporters here. The BJP leader said the election was important in many ways. "The heart, brain, liver, kidney of the Samajwadi Party are all these goons, mafia, rioters, and corrupt."
     He also criticised SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's announcement to visit violence-hit Sambhal.
     "At a time when there is chaos there, many people have died, Akhilesh is trying to make political gains by going there. We got more than 52 per cent votes, which he is unable to digest," he said.
     Yadav earlier in the day announced he would visit Sambhal where four men were killed on Sunday in a police-protester clash. The visit was later deferred following an assurance of a fair probe by the Uttar Pradesh Police chief.
     Months after the ruling BJP's poor Lok Sabha poll performance in Uttar Pradesh, the saffron party hit the opposition parties out of the park by winning six of the nine Assembly seats in the state where bypolls were held on November 20.
     Adding to BJP's emphatic performance, its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) clinched Meerapur, the lone seat it contested. The Samajwadi Party (SP) emerged victorious in the remaining two seats -- Karhal and Sishamau.
     According to the Election Commission (EC), the BJP candidates emerged victorious in Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair (SC), Phulpur, Katehari and Majhawan assembly constituencies.
     The Congress stayed away from the bypolls this time after extending support to its INDIA bloc ally SP.
     The BSP fielded candidates in all nine seats, while the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) put up nominees in Ghaziabad, Kundarki and Meerapur.
     The Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) led by Chandrashekhar Aazad was also in the fray in all the seats barring Sishamau.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)