'It can neither be called an election, nor an election result': Azam Khan

Khan's angry response came after Samajwadi Party suffered a major jolt when its candidate from Rampur Asim Raja's lost to BJP's Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi.

Rampur (UP):It can neither be called an election nor an election result, said Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan on Sunday after the party's defeat in the Lok Sabha by-polls. Khan's angry response came after Samajwadi Party suffered a major jolt when its candidate from Rampur Asim Raja's lost to BJP's Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi.

The party also lost in its bastion Azamgarh when BJP's Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' beat SP's Dharmendra Yadav. Speaking to ANI after the declaration of the result, Azam Khan said, "It can neither be called an election, nor an election result. Polling station of 900 votes, and only 6 votes were cast? The area is of Muslims, and just one vote cast? What reason should I cite?"

"Indeed," he said when asked if he considers his party's candidate victorious from Rampur. Meanwhile, in a major political development in Uttar Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi on Sunday won the Lok Sabha bypoll in Rampur under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanatah, the bastion of Samajwadi Party (SP) big shot Azam Khan.

In Rampur, BJP had fielded Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi who recently joined the party. Whereas, SP candidate Asim Raja was handpicked by Azam Khan. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) did not contest from Rampur. "I dedicate my victory to the workers of the party. They have been working continuously day and night. I want to thank the people of Rampur. BJP has always been working for the development of the public," BJP's winning candidate Lodhi said.

"History is being made. BJP wins Rampur LS by-election by 37,797 votes. Azamgarh is also about to win. The death knell to communal, divisive, minority appeasement politics. The mandate for politics of Vikas practised by PM Narendra Modi ably assisted by CM Yogi Adityanath," said BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh.

"We have won in Rampur. We're also ahead of others in Azamgarh. I'd like to thank the voters who're handing us this victory based on PM Modi's numerous welfare schemes and the performance of the CM," said Brajesh Pathak, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister. "People are sick and tired of the Samajwadi Party. People don't want any more riots. They want peace. They want development," he added.

Rampur Lok Sabha seat went vacant due to the resignation of veteran SP leader Azam Khan after he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in the recently held state election. Khan was elected MP from Rampur seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The vacancy in the Lok Sabha seat has been created by the resignation of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav after he was elected an MLA in recently held state Assembly polls.