In the Varanasi Graduate MLC election, SP candidate Ashutosh Sinha has maintained a consistent lead over BJP candidate Kedarnath Singh. After the completion of nine rounds of first-preference vote counting, the counting of second-preference votes has begun.
During the second-preference counting, the SP candidate's lead has reportedly reached around 17,000 votes, triggering celebrations among party workers. SP supporters began celebrating at a distance from the counting centre, dancing to the beats of drums.
BJP Candidate Kedarnath Singh Issues Statement
Amid the ongoing second-preference vote counting, BJP candidate Kedarnath Singh shared a statement on social media platform X.
Expressing gratitude to voters, Singh said he respected the mandate and accepted the election outcome. He stated that the party had not achieved the expected success in the election and added that the trust and support of voters would remain invaluable.
54,762 Votes Required for Victory
According to the first-preference vote count in the Varanasi Graduate Constituency, a total of 109,522 votes have been declared valid. A candidate needs 54,762 votes to secure victory.
The latest figures show that SP candidate Ashutosh Sinha has received 50,529 votes, comprising 50,462 votes and an additional 67 votes. BJP candidate Kedarnath Singh has received 33,530 votes, comprising 33,478 votes and an additional 52 votes.
The ninth-round first-preference counting figures showed Ashutosh Sinha securing 50,462 votes against Kedarnath Singh's 33,472 votes, giving the SP candidate a lead of 16,990 votes.
At the end of the eighth round, Ashutosh Sinha had received 47,450 votes, while Kedarnath Singh had secured 31,189 votes, according to the figures provided. The SP candidate was ahead by 16,261 votes.
Ashutosh Sinha Maintained Lead in Earlier Rounds
The SP candidate had also maintained a lead during the sixth round of first-preference vote counting.
At the end of the sixth round, Ashutosh Sinha had received 35,086 votes, while BJP candidate Kedarnath Singh had secured 23,253 votes. This gave Sinha a lead of 11,833 votes.
The fifth-round results had also favoured the SP candidate. Ashutosh Sinha received 6,264 votes in the fifth round, compared with 3,969 votes for Kedarnath Singh.
The cumulative figures after the fifth round showed Sinha with 28,863 votes and Singh with 19,373 votes, giving the SP candidate a lead of 9,490 votes at that stage.
Counting Conducted in Batches of 1,000 Votes
A total of 14 counting counters have been set up for the election. First-preference votes are being counted in batches of 1,000.
By the end of the fifth round, the counting of 70,000 votes had been completed, according to the information provided.
The sixth-round results subsequently showed Ashutosh Sinha's lead increasing to 11,833 votes, while the ninth-round figures placed him 16,990 votes ahead of the BJP candidate.
The counting of second-preference votes is now underway after the completion of nine rounds of first-preference counting.
MLC Election Results: Who Won Which Seat?
In the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, the SP's Lal Bihari Yadav has won the prestigious Varanasi Teachers' Constituency seat.
According to the official results, BJP candidate Dinesh Kumar Goyal won from the Meerut Graduate Constituency, while BJP candidate Umesh Dwivedi secured victory from the Lucknow Teachers' Constituency.
SP candidate Lal Bihari Yadav won from the Varanasi Teachers' Constituency, while SP candidate Dr Akash Agarwal emerged victorious from the Agra Teachers' Constituency.
BJP candidate Dr Manvendra Pratap Singh won from the Agra Graduate Constituency. SP candidate Dr Man Singh Yadav secured victory from the Allahabad-Jhansi Graduate Constituency.
BJP candidate Shrichand Sharma won from the Meerut Teachers' Constituency, while BJP candidate Dr Hari Singh Dhillon secured victory from the Bareilly-Moradabad Teachers' Constituency.
With six seats secured by the BJP and four by the SP, the remaining contest is still being closely watched as counting continues in Varanasi, where Ashutosh Sinha's lead in the second-preference count has become a key development in the election.
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