Lucknow: UP's upcoming bypolls in 8 constituencies will see the entry of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) - the first time for the party to contest bypolls.
On earlier occasions, the BSP had not contested by-elections, and left the field clear for other remaining parties.
"The decision was taken in view of the 2022 Assembly elections. The party wants to mobilise its cadres through the by-elections and also reach out to its voters. Party leaders are shortlisting candidates for each of the eight Assembly segments and will announce them after getting approval of the party president," said a party functionary.
The BSP, two days ago, had announced the name of Kuldeep Sankhwar as the party candidate for the Ghatampur (Kanpur) Assembly seat.
"Behenji (Mayawati) is continuously monitoring the situation in each constituency and is taking feedback from party workers. She may be in Delhi but she is clued in to what is happening at the ground level," the functionary said.
Of the eight Assembly seats going to bypoll, six seats -- Naugawan, Deoria, Ghatampur, Bulandshahar, Tundla and Bangaramu -- were won by the BJP in the 2017 Assembly polls while two constituencies -- Malahani and Suar (Rampur) -- were won by the Samajwadi Party.
(With input from IANS)