"Congress is supporting INDIA alliance with full strength": Congress' Ajay Rai ahead of Milkipur by polls

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 20 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai on Monday extended support with 'full strength' to its INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party for the upcoming by-election in the Milkipur constituency.
"Congress is supporting the INDIA alliance with full strength. It is the work of the BJP to misuse government machinery to win elections but the people of Milkipur will teach them a lesson this time," Rai told ANI.
The Congress, Samajwadi Party's INDIA bloc ally, has decided not to field any candidate from Milkipur and has instead announced support for the SP candidate.
The election in the Milkipur constituency was necessitated after the Samajwadi Party's (SP) Awadhesh Prasad vacated the seat after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Faizabad in the general election held last year.
The Milkipur bypoll is scheduled for February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8.
For the by-polls, the SP has fielded Awadhesh Prasad's son Ajit Prasad.
Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Chandrabhan Paswan from the seat. He filed his nomination on Thursday.
"I thank the people of Milkipur, leaders of the BJP, Yogi Adityanath, and PM Narendra Modi, who expressed faith in me and I will serve the people day and night. The focus will remain on the issue of development and serving the public with the blessings of the people and Lord Ram. I will work to win the seat for BJP," said Paswan.
Earlier, the Samajwadi Party submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh, demanding webcasting of all 414 polling stations in the Milkipur assembly constituency.
The party has requested that the webcasting link be shared with the candidates and recognised political parties, enabling them to monitor the voting process and ensure free, fair, and transparent elections.
The Milkipur by-poll is expected to be a highly prestigious battle for the BJP, as the party lost the Faizabad parliamentary seat to the Samajwadi Party in the Lok Sabha election last year. (ANI)