BJP avenges Faizabad defeat Wins Milkipur byelection by record margin

BJP avenged its Ayodhya defeat by winning Milkipur, reclaiming the Assembly seat from the Samajwadi Party (SP) after eight years.

- B P SINGH

AYODHYA: The victory marks the biggest margin in the history of Milkipur, with BJP candidate Chandrabhanu Paswan defeating SP's Ajit Prasad by 61,636 votes.

The BJP camp celebrated the victory with workers dancing to drum beats and distributing laddus, while the SP camp remained subdued, with Ajit Prasad and his father, MP Awadhesh Prasad, staying indoors.

This victory comes just months after the BJP suffered a setback in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, despite the presence of the newly constructed Ram Temple.

BJP's loss in Faizabad Lok Sabha elections was a wake-up call, prompting the party to address local grievances, remove restrictions on temple visits, and reinforce its grassroots outreach during this election. CM Yogi Adityanath played a pivotal role, making Milkipur a prestige battle. He visited Ayodhya and Milkipur seven times post the Lok Sabha elections, launching government schemes and engaging directly with voters.