UP by-poll result LIVE: Akhilesh thanks Mayawati for Gorakhpur, Phulpur

Lok Sabha by-elections 2018 in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Bihar's Araria being viewed as yet another test for BJP ahead of 2019 general elections

Election officials count votes at a counting center after Phulpur by-poll elections in Allahabad

10:34 AM

Recap to UP 2017 Assembly elections

In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, BJP candidates registered wins in Phulpur (Praveen Patel), Phaphamau (Vikramjeet Maurya), Allahabad North (Harshvardhan Bajpai) and Allahabad West (Sidharth Nath Singh), while in Soraon (SC), it was ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) whose candidate Jamuna Prasad Saroj emerged victorious.

Stating that the electoral scenario and caste equation in Phulpur is "significantly in favour of the BJP", a senior party leader said the party gave a ticket to Kaushalendra Singh Patel as he commands at least 60 per cent of the community votes.

Apart from a large section of Patels, Phulpur also has a Pasi community (scheduled castes), who have been traditional voters of the BJP, the BJP leader said.

10:30 AM

Bihar Assembly by-poll results 2018: After third round of counting, BJP is leading in Bhabua & RJD is leading in Jehanabad after second round of counting.

Araria bypoll results 2018: BJP leading after second round of counting

10:27 AM

Maurya urged voters to win for BJP canditate Patel

During a recent election meeting, Maurya had urged the young voters to ensure an electoral win for BJP candidate Kaushalendra Singh Patel.

"The people of Phulpur had given me a victory margin which was greater than (that of) Pandit Nehru. My appeal to you is that Kaushalendra Patel's victory margin should be greater than my victory margin," Maurya said during one of his campaigns.

Seeking to galvanise party workers, Maurya said, "Sab Jaaiye Bhool, Yaad Rakhiye Sirf Kamal ka Phool (forget everything, remember only one thing that lotus has to bloom)."

10:25 AM

Phulpur by-elections: Recap to 2014 Lok Sabha by-poll results

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP's Keshav Maurya won from Phulpur with a record margin of 3.08 lakh votes -- the first time when the 'lotus' bloomed in the constituency.

Maurya had bagged 5,03,564 votes, while his nearest rival Dharam Raj Singh Patel (SP) had got 1,95,256 votes.

10:21 AM

Phulpur parliamentary constituency consists of Phulpur, Phaphamau, Soraon (SC), Allahabad North, and Allahabad West assembly segments.

10:21 AM

Phulpur bypolls 2018: Once known as the Lok Sabha constituency represented by India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Phulpur again finds itself in the spotlight in view of Sunday's bypoll, which is expected to see a triangular contest among the BJP, Congress and the SP.

The seat was vacated by then MP Keshav Prasad Maurya after his election to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

While the BJP will seek to retain the seat and also increase its victory margin, rival political parties will try to wrest it from the saffron party and send a signal before the 2019 parliamentary elections.

10:19 AM

Phulpur bypoll results 2018: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 1058 votes with 22,460 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel at a close second with 21,402 votes.

10:15 AM

UP by-election results 2018: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 1437 votes with 7600 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel 6163 votes after round 3.

Phulpur was earlier represented by BJP's Keshav Prasad Maurya, who is now the deputy chief minister of the state.

10:04 AM

Bihar Assembly by-polls 2018: After first round of counting BJP is leading in Kaimur & RJD is leading in Jehanabad.

9:59 AM

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9:47 AM

Phulpur by-election results 2018: SP leading with 6744 votes; BJP trailing with 4379 votes, according to media reports

9:44 AM

Bihar by-poll results 2018: Counting of votes for by-elections in Araria Lok Sabha seat and Bhabua and Jehanabad Assembly constituencies in Bihar began amid tight security today, officials said.

In Jehanabad, the RJD hopes to retain the Assembly seat that fell vacant after the death of Mundrika Yadav. The party gave ticket to Yadav's son Kumar Krishna Mohan.

The BJP is hopeful of retaining the Bhabhua Assembly seat riding on a sympathy wave for Anand Bhushan Pandey whose death at the age of 48 necessitated the bypoll. The saffron party fielded Pandey's wife Rinky Rani.

This is the first electoral battle in the state since Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who also heads the JD(U), walked out of the alliance with the RJD and the Congress and joined the BJP-led NDA last year.