The high-stakes campaign for the legislative council elections in Uttar Pradesh officially concluded on Wednesday. The biennial polls are being held across 11 constituencies covering teacher and graduate segments. Voting for these seats is scheduled to take place on October 23, and the counting of votes will be conducted on October 27. The election process utilizes traditional ballot papers, setting the stage for what is anticipated to be a fierce electoral contest.
Constituencies Covered Across the State
Out of the total 11 legislative council seats up for grabs, five belong to the graduate constituency while six fall under the teacher constituency category. The graduate segment includes Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, and Allahabad-Jhansi constituencies. Meanwhile, the teacher segment comprises Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Meerut, Bareilly-Moradabad, and Gorakhpur-Faizabad constituencies. Combined, these regions span across all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh.
Major Parties Mobilize Their Full Strength
Both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Samajwadi Party have deployed extensive resources and high-profile leaders for this election. Chief Minister Yogi आदित्यनाथ addressed rallies for party candidates across all 11 constituencies, including Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Agra, Mirzapur, and Bareilly. Additionally, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad मौर्य and Brajesh Pathak, along with various state ministers and party lawmakers, have campaigned extensively.
Past Results and Voter Eligibility
In the previous legislative council elections for these specific 11 seats, the Samajwadi Party secured six victories while the Bharatiya Janata Party won five seats. Unlike general assembly elections, only registered and eligible teachers and graduates are permitted to cast their ballots in these polls. Despite this restricted electorate, the timing of these elections immediately ahead of broader state political milestones makes them highly significant.
Last-Minute Candidate Revisions by Opposition
In a notable twist during the final stretch of the election cycle, the Samajwadi Party replaced two of its candidates at the eleventh hour. The party inducted Dr. Akash Agarwal and Dr. Sanjay Tripathi into its fold and immediately awarded them tickets. Dr. Sanjay Tripathi was fielded from the Gorakhpur-Faizabad division teacher constituency, while Dr. Akash Agarwal received the ticket for the Agra division teacher seat.
Leadership Addresses Internal Adjustments
Following the sudden ticket modifications, Akhilesh Yadav stated that the party collectively decided to field these two individuals. He emphasized that the decision was taken with the consent and cooperation of the candidates who were initially announced, expressing gratitude to the colleagues who stepped aside to accommodate the change.
