LIVE: Uttar Pradesh bypoll results 2018: SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad wins Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat by 21,881 votes

Samajwadi Party's Praveen Kumar Nishad wins Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat by 21,881 votes.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath breaks silence on the bypoll verdict: We accept the verdict of the people, this result is unexpected, we will review the shortcomings. I congratulate the winning candidates.

We accept the verdict of the people, this result is unexpected, we will review the shortcomings. I congratulate the winning candidates: UP CM Yogi Adityanath #UPByPoll pic.twitter.com/L3hCZmJs6O

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Congress candidates from Phulpur and Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seats have lost their deposits. 

Congress candidates from #Phulpur and #Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seats have lost their deposits. #UPByPolls pic.twitter.com/Bq0OjfPixF

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel wins Phulpur Lok Sabha seat by 59,613 votes  

Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel wins #Phulpur Lok Sabha seat by 59,613 votes #UPByPolls pic.twitter.com/3OUm0FVwep

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Congress President Rahul Gandhi speaks on bypolls verdict: ‘It is clear from the by-poll results that voters are angry with BJP and they will vote for the non-BJP candidate who has strongest chance of winning. As far as, Congress is concerned, we are committed towards re-building the party in UP and it will not happen overnight,’ he said in a tweet. 

 

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) March 14, 2018

Gorakhpur ByPoll Update: SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad leads by 22,954 votes with 3,77,146 votes, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla second with 3,54,192 votes after 25th round of counting: 

#Gorakhpur ByPoll: SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad leads by 22,954 votes with 3,77,146 votes, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla second with 3,54,192 votes after 25th round of counting.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Phulpur ByPoll update: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 47,351 with 3,05,172 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second with 2,57,821 votes after 28th round of counting. 

#Phulpur ByPoll: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 47,351 with 3,05,172 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second with 2,57,821 votes after 28th round of counting.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Samajwadi Party workers celebrate the stunning victory in UP bypolls in Agra 

Samajwadi Party workers celebrate in Agra #UPByPolls pic.twitter.com/ORtNZlwzhZ

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

It looks all over for BJP now in Phulpur and Gorakhpur. 

In Gorakhpur, SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad leads by 25,870 votes with 3,34.463 votes, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla second with 3,08.593 votes after 22nd round of counting.  In Phulpur, Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel ahead by 38,498 with 2,71,752 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second with 2,33,254 votes after 25th round of counting

It is celebration time for SP-BSP. For BJP, it is time for introspection. 

#Gorakhpur ByPoll: SP, BSP workers celebrate in Gorakhpur as the SP candidate Praveen Kumar Nishad leads in the counting of votes. pic.twitter.com/bZsZKhJPt3

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Bitter rivals for years, now enroute to creating biggest upset in Indian politics in last few years. The body language of SP-BSP leaders clearly show the alliance is likely to last for some times.  

Leader of the opposition and Samajwadi Party member Ram Govind Choudhury met Bahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati in #Lucknow pic.twitter.com/NRtNNwQ70E

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

In a first near admission of impending defeat in Uttar Pradesh bypolls, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said that the party didn't anticipate BSP votes would get completely transferred to SP. However, he said that BJP would introspect and come back with a strategy to win in 2019 polls. 

We didn't expect that BSP's vote will be transferred to SP in such a manner. We will analyze after seeing the final results & prepare for a situation in future when BSP, SP & Congress can come together & also make our strategy for winning 2019 elections: KP Maurya, Deputy CM pic.twitter.com/XOLQrg7cG4

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Currently, SP is leading by over 28 thousand votes in Gorakhpur. In Phulpur, it is ahead by over 29 thousand votes.  

#Gorakhpur ByPoll: SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad leads by 26,960 votes with 2,62,346 votes, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla second with 2,35,836 votes after 17th round of counting.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Gorakhpur too now looks like a one-sided contest. The implication of this result will be felt far and wide.  

Political reactions have started to come in after SP's domination in UP bypolls. 

West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has hailed the victory. She also said beginning of end has started, in an apparatent indication of next year's loksabha polls. 

Great victory. Congratulations to Mayawati Ji and @yadavakhilesh Ji for #UPByPolls The beginning of the end has started

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 14, 2018

It looks increasingly impossible for BJP to make a comeback in both Phulpur and Gorakhpur. The trends basically point towards a massive upset in both the seats. Only few rounds of counting are now left, and BJP has a mountain to climb. 

Here are the latest trends. 

#Gorakhpur ByPoll: SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad leading with 2,12,061 votes, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla second with 1,92,860 votes after 14th round of counting.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

So in Gorakhpur, the lead is around 20,000 for SP candidate. 

#PhulpurByPoll: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 22,842 with 1,67,008 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second with 1,44,166 votes after 15th round of counting.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

In Phulpur, the lead has surged to 22,000.  

SP-BSP workers celebrate their massive lead in UP.  

SP workers celebrate in Lucknow as trends show their candidates leading in Gorakhpur & Phulpur Lok Sabha by-polls, raise, 'Bhua-Bhateeja zindabad' slogans. pic.twitter.com/BTjievOjTL

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

It is celebration time for SP workers. They are well on course to win both Phulpur and Gorakhpur.  

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party workers play with gulal & celebrate as trends show their candidates leading in #Phulpur & #Gorakhpur by polls. pic.twitter.com/GNrxzdTzPq

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

#PhulpurByPoll: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 22,842 with 1,67,008 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second with 1,44,166 votes after 15th round of counting.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Leading in Phulpur now over 20 thousand. It will need a miracle for BJP to hold on to its seat. 

But the story of the election is clearly Gorakhpur. A BJP  bastion, it is likely to be flipped this time around. SP -BSP alliance has almost done the unthinkable here, with the SP candidate leading by over 12,000 votes after 12 rounds of polling.  

After initial lull, results are coming thick and fast from Gorakhpur and it is not really good news for BJP. SP candidate Praveen Kumar Nishad is steadily increasing his difference over nearest BJP rival. 

#Gorakhpur ByPoll: SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad leading with a margin of 10,598 with 1,19,427 votes, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla second with 1,08,829 votes after eighth round of counting.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

SP now has established a very significant and clear lead in Phulpur. 

#Phulpur ByPoll: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 15,713 votes with 122247 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second with 106534 votes after 11th round of counting. pic.twitter.com/KZKNwrRkZj

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

It will need a Himalayan effort from here for the BJP to hold on to both these seats. Keep in mind, these are seats which were won by UP CM Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya. Hence losing both of them will be a massive slap in face for UP state BJP with serious implications nationally. Is a SP-BSP combination the grand plan opposition was looking for to stop Modi's 2019 juggernaut. All those options look like a possibility with the current trends in place.  

There was initially controversy over media not being allowed inside the Gorakhpur media counting centre. SP has issued complaint to EC over this issue. However EC has issued a clarification regarding delay in giving out figures initially and about the reported media ban. 

Full report here: SP alleges media being barred from Gorakhpur counting centre, files complaint to EC

The lead in Phulpur in SP has now crossed four figures. After eight rounds of polling, SP candidate ahead by over 12,000 votes. 

#PhulpurByPoll: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 12,231 votes with 99,557 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second with 87,326 votes after eight round of counting.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

SP ahead by a slender margin in Gorakhpur. Major ruckus in UP Assembly over media not being allowed in Gorakhpur counting centre.  

#FLASH: #GorakhpurByPoll SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad leading by 1523 with 44,979 votes, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla second with 43,456 votes. pic.twitter.com/nqAqViuMlH

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Suprise! Surprise! In Yogi Adityanath's constituency, SP is ahead. Are we in for a major upset?  

#FLASH: #GorakhpurByPoll SP's Praveen Kumar Nishad leading with 29,218 votes, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla at a close second with 29,194 votes. pic.twitter.com/9S0p3rtlns

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

Some confusion regarding counting in Gorakhpur. According to media reports, counting for nine rounds have been done, but results only for first round has been declared. BJP candidate is ahead by 1600 votes. 

SP is now comfortably ahead in Phulpur, consolidating leads in every round. 

#PhulpurByPoll: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 6931 votes with 54,562 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second with 47,631 votes.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

After 4 rounds, SP candidate is leading by around 4000 votes. The lead is increasingly slowly but steadily, but it is not enough so far to say that SP is sure to win Phulpur. Lot of twists and turns in this close race. 

BJP candidate now comfortably ahead in Gorakhpur. The lead is over 6,500 votes. The margin of victory probably will be the major tracking point for Gorakhpur. 

SP candidate Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel has consolidated his lead in Phulpur. Currently the lead is 2477 votes. However, the nature of voting in urban constituencies may finally seal the deal in Phulpur. Both SP and BSP are contesting together and are trying to give BJP a run for their money. 

#PhulpurByPoll: Samajwadi Party's Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel leading by 1437 votes with 7600 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel 6163 votes after round 3.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

BJP candidate is currently leading by around 3,200 votes in Gorakhpur. However, all eyes will be on Phulpur, where a keen tussle is expected between SP and BJP. 

SP candidate is now ahead in Phulpur. 

#PhulpurByPoll: SP's Nagendra Singh Patel leading by 1399 votes, BJP's Kaushlendra Singh Patel second.

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2018

BJP has won Gorakhpur in the last 8 Lok Sabha seats. So, it will be an uphill task for the opposition to upset BJP in that seat. 

RJD takes an early lead in Araria and Jehanabad; BJP ahead in Bhabua 

According to early trends, BJP is ahead in both the Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. In Gorakhpur, BJP candidate Upendra Dutt Shukla is ahead. 

In Phulpur, BJP leader Kaushalendra Singh Patel is leading. 

However, these are extremely early trends which are coming from postal ballots. 

Both the seats are important for ruling BJP regime in state and Centre for two different reasons. In Gorakhpur, it is a matter of prestige for CM Yogi Adityanath in his home constituency of Gorakhpur. Gorakhpur has come to limelight over child deaths last year and Yogi would like to ensure that BJP maintains its strong presence in the seat. On voting day, UP CM said that they will win with a bigger margin this time around. 

In Phulpur, SP-BSP are contesting together. If the experiment is successful, it may become a model for the opposition to emulate in 2019 LS polls. Low voting turnout is likely to keep all sides edgy during counting. 

► The by-election to the Araria seat was necessitated by the death of sitting RJD lawmaker Mohd Taslimuddin.

► The contest is mainly between RJD's Sarafaraz Alam, Taslimuddin's son, and BJP's Pradip Singh, who had won the seat in 2009 and finished runner-up in 2014.