Sun Feb 02 22:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Milkipur By-Election Heats Up: SP and BJP in Fierce Contest

**Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, February 3, 2025** – The Milkipur Assembly constituency is bracing for a high-stakes by-election on February 5th, witnessing an intense battle between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The by-election, necessitated by the sitting SP MLA’s Lok Sabha victory, has drawn significant attention and resources from both parties.

The SP, campaigning under the banner of “Pichhda, Dalits and Alpsankhyak” (PDA) unity, is focusing on alleged discrimination against backward classes, Dalits, and minorities. Their strategy involves extensive door-to-door campaigning and numerous street-corner meetings (“nukkad sabhas”). The party claims widespread support from the PDA community and points to the recent Lok Sabha results in Ayodhya as a sign of things to come. They also allege that the state administration is favoring the BJP.

The BJP, meanwhile, is targeting the numerically dominant Scheduled Caste (SC) community, portraying the SP as “anti-Dalit” and highlighting instances of alleged crimes against Dalits linked to SP members. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made multiple campaign visits, emphasizing the BJP’s development agenda and accusing the SP of neglecting the needs of the SC community.

Both parties have deployed significant manpower, with hundreds of workers actively campaigning across the constituency. The scale of the campaigning is unprecedented, according to local residents, who report witnessing an influx of leaders and workers from both parties. However, despite the intense campaigning, many voters appear preoccupied with local issues and rural distress, indicating a possible disconnect between political campaigning and the concerns of the electorate. The outcome of this by-election is seen as a crucial indicator for the upcoming 2027 state assembly elections.

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