The BJP dropped its sitting MP as the seat went to alliance partner Apna Dal (S).
One of the 80 Lok Sabha seats Uttar Pradesh, Robertsganj parliamentary constituency covers parts of Sonbhadra and Chanduali districts. The constituency goes to polls in the seventh and last phase of general elections on May 19.
Currently held by BJP's Chhotelal, Robertsganj Lok Sabha constituency is reserved for candidates belonging to scheduled castes. BJP had won the set in three consecutive elections - 1996, 1998 and 1999 - when Ram Shakal emerged victorious on its ticket.
In 2004 election, Lal Chandra Kol of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won from Mirzapur while Pakauri Lal won the 2009 election on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket.
In this election, Pakauri Lal has switched sides and has now been fielded by Apna Dal (S). Chhotelal, who won the 2014 election by 1.90 lakh votes, has not been dropped by the BJP as the seat went to its ally.
Pakauri Lal is pitted against SP's Bhailal Kol and Congress' Bhagwati Prasad Choudhary.
Robertsganj parliamentary constituency comprises five assembly segments: Chakia (SC) (Chandauli), Ghorawal, Robertsganj, Obra and Duddhi (SC) (Sonbhadra).
UP is facing a triangular battle between the BJP, the Congress and BSP-SP-RLD alliance. Under the alliance's seat-sharing formula, the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is contesting on 38 Lok Sabha seats of the total 80 seats, Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party on 37 seats and the Chaudhary Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) on three seats. The alliance has left two for Congress' Sonia Gandhi (Rae Bareli) and Rahul Gandhi (Amethi).
In the seventh phase of Lok Sabha polling, 13 seats in Uttar Pradesh - Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushi Nagar, Deoria, Bansgaon, Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Robertsganj - are going for polls.
In 2014 election, all of these 13 seats were won by the BJP with Prime Minister Narendra Modi securing his victory from Varanasi.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Picture for representation, AFP")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}