Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 29 (ANI): Samajwadi Party leader Manoj Singh Kaka on Thursday expressed deep appreciation to the teachers and the youth of Uttar Pradesh for placing the Samajwadi Party at the forefront while aiming at the local administration, alleging that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for vote counting, as mandated by the Representation of the People Act, was not being followed.
Speaking to a reporter, Kaka expressed appreciation on behalf of the party leadership for the professional and educated electorate.
"The Samajwadi Party’s National President expresses deep gratitude to the teachers and the educated youth of Uttar Pradesh for placing the Samajwadi Party at the forefront,” Kaka told ANI.
Acknowledging the strong mandate from educators and professionals while flagging procedural discrepancies at the counting centre added, “However, concerning the situation in Varanasi, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for vote counting, as mandated by the Representation of the People Act, is not being followed. Votes should be announced after every round of counting. During the counting process, various allegations were raised."
The remarks came as counting continued for 11 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats, comprising five graduates' and six teachers' constituencies, ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.
Earlier today, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dimple Yadav on Thursday claimed that the party had won five Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council (MLC) seats, calling the outcome a foundation for political change in the state and expressing confidence that the SP would form a full-majority government after the 2027 Assembly elections.
In a post shared on X, Yadav said the victory of the party's five candidates reflected the growing strength of the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) alliance and the trust of exploited and deprived sections of society and the youth in the SP.
"The historic victory of the Samajwadi Party's 5 valiant MLC candidates in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections has laid the foundation for change. This united strength of PDA has today laid in Uttar Pradesh that strong foundation for change against dictatorship and anti-people policies, which can now no longer be shaken. This victory is a clear message that the trust of the exploited, the deprived, and the youth lies only and only with the Samajwadi Party," she wrote.
Claiming that the results reflected public confidence in the party, Dimple Yadav said the victory had also strengthened the SP's prospects ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
"This splendid success has also put an advance seal on the massive and historic victory that will occur in the upcoming 2027 assembly elections. Now the people of Uttar Pradesh will not stop, but have also cleared the path for the formation of a full-majority government of the Samajwadi Party in the coming assembly elections," Yadav said.
"This growing caravan of PDA's victory has already ushered in a new era in the politics of Uttar Pradesh," she added.
The elections witnessed a contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the SP.
The SP registered a notable victory in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency, where its candidate Lal Bihari Yadav won the Teachers' seat.
Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav urged party workers in Varanasi to remain steadfast at counting centres and leave only after collecting their victory certificates, while calling on them to arrange food, water, umbrellas and towels for their colleagues.
“Everyone, stay steadfast and leave only after collecting the certificate of victory. We appeal to our workers in Varanasi city to help their colleagues at the counting centre by arranging food, water, umbrellas, towels and other essentials. Keep yourselves awake by singing songs of courage and morale… Dawn will be ours,” he said.
Cautioning against complacency, he added, “Remember the warning written on the road: ‘Nazar hati, durghatna ghati!’On Wednesday, the SP chief also congratulated party workers and victorious candidates, urging them to publicise their victory peacefully through social media and avoid processions or celebrations that could lead to confrontations.
He also cautioned party workers against what he described as possible conspiracies and false allegations ahead of the Assembly elections.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to MLC election results across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka.
“MLC elections in 28 seats across 4 big states – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. Elections were held using ballot papers. Guess how many seats Congress won?” Modi said in a post on X. (ANI)
SP's Manoj Singh Kaka expresses gratitude as Ashutosh Sinha takes lead in Varanasi; flags counting norm violations
