SP’s Naseem Solanki wins Sisamau bypolls, defeats BJP’s Suresh Awasthi

| Updated: 23 November, 2024 7:32 pm IST

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party (SP) has secured victory in the Sisamau Assembly by-election, with Naseem Solanki defeating her closest rival, BJP’s Suresh Awasthi, by a margin of 8,564 votes.

Naseem, the wife of jailed former MLA Irfan Solanki, garnered 69,714 votes, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Virendra Kumar finished third. The SP also maintained its lead in two other constituencies, while the ruling BJP was leading in five of the nine Uttar Pradesh assembly segments where bypolls were held on November 20.

Sisamau emerged as a closely watched constituency, given its long-standing association with the SP and the personal circumstances surrounding Naseem Solanki’s candidacy. The seat, considered an SP stronghold for nearly 25 years, became vacant after Irfan Solanki was jailed.

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By fielding Naseem, the SP successfully retained its dominance, leveraging an emotional campaign centered on Irfan’s incarceration and the party’s traditional support base.

This was Naseem Solanki’s first election, marking her debut in politics. Initially uninvolved in political activities, she stepped forward to represent her husband’s legacy following his imprisonment. Her campaign, which highlighted the challenges faced by her family and appealed to voters’ emotions, played a key role in her victory.

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The SP’s decision to back Naseem proved to be a strategic move. The constituency’s significant Muslim voter base, coupled with the Solanki family’s local influence and sympathy for Irfan’s situation, contributed to the SP’s win.

The ruling BJP, aiming to build momentum ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, was keen to secure Sisamau but fell short. While the BJP and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) led in other constituencies, Sisamau reinforced the SP’s presence in Uttar Pradesh and reflected the INDIA bloc’s ongoing influence in the state.