A close fight in Uttar Pradesh's Katehari: Will lotus puncture cycle ride?

KATEHARI (AMBEDKAR NAGAR): The voter turnout dropped in Katehari bypoll compared to the assembly election in 2022. While the voting percentage was 62.51% in 2022, it dropped to 56.9% this time.The polling picked up only after 11am when queues began across the 425 polling booths set up in the assembly segment. By 3pm, 42.29% polling was recorded.The seat fell vacant after incumbent SP MLA Lalji Verma was elected to Lok Sabha from Ambedkar Nagar. The bypoll was pitted as a direct contest between Verma's wife and SP nominee Shobhawati and BJP's Dharmraj Nishad, a three-time MLA who was also a minister during the Mayawati's govt. BSP has fielded Amit Kumar from the seat. Eight more contestants are in the fray.To ensure far polling, webcasting equipment and apparatus was installed across 219 booths to relay live images to the control room while video recording was done at 185 booths.The assembly constituency was divided into 65 sectors, and heavy deployment of administrative and police officials was done to ensure faire and peaceful polling.Some complaints by voters were raised in the minority dominated pockets and some other areas of the seat. Verma complained to the EC that police and administration were acting as the agents of BJP.Last time lotus (BJP) bloomed in the constituency was way back in 1991. Sharing its border with Ayodhya, Katehari is the only seat of Awadh region where bypoll was held. A victory here would help BJP overcome the setback of losing Faizabad (Ayodhya) Lok Sabha seat to some extent. By fielding a Nishad candidate, a community which has a sizeable vote bank in the region, BJP tried to woo Brahmins, Thakurs and other upper caste members.Some distance away in Pratappur Chamurkha gram sabha, one of the largest villages in the area, a group of people are countering Nishad's supporters by listing down Verma's contribution to the assembly segment. "He has been extremely vocal in the assembly and has been raising our issues before the state. That is why people from the entire district have sent him to Delhi. You all need to realise in the recent years he has been with the opposition camp," said Manoj Kumar, a teacher in the village.