Sat Jan 25 21:09:18 UTC 2025: ## Caste Politics Takes Center Stage in Uttar Pradesh By-Election

**Lucknow, January 26, 2025** – The upcoming Milkipur by-election in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya district is heating up, with caste and community becoming central themes in the campaign. The Samajwadi Party (SP) is focusing its efforts on the PDA (backward castes, Dalits, and minorities) community, alleging underrepresentation in administrative positions.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav claims that despite comprising 90% of Ayodhya’s population, the PDA community holds only 20% of administrative appointments. He shared data on social media showing only three out of 13 administrative officials in Ayodhya belong to these communities. Senior SP leader Sunil Singh Yadav expressed confidence in winning the by-election based on PDA community support.

The by-election, scheduled for February 5th, is crucial after sitting SP MLA Awdhesh Prasad won the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat. The SP’s candidate is Ajeet Prasad, Awdhesh’s son. The BJP’s candidate is Chandrabhanu Paswan. Milkipur, a reserved Scheduled Caste (SC) seat, has historically been a challenge for the BJP.

Conversely, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, leading the BJP campaign, is targeting the Dalit community by accusing the SP of being “anti-Dalit.” He cited instances like the alleged rape of a Dalit girl by an SP worker and the SP’s past actions regarding renaming a memorial dedicated to B.R. Ambedkar. The BJP is banking on support from SCs, sections of OBCs, and Brahmins and Rajputs. A senior BJP leader highlighted the SP’s past actions as evidence of their lack of commitment to the Dalit community. The BJP is emphasizing robust booth management to ensure victory.

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