UP bypolls: BJP leads in 7 assembly seats, Congress in 1

 The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now leading in seven Assembly seats, Samajwadi Party (SP) in two and Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) and the Congress in one each.

The BJP is leading in Iglas, Manikpur, Balha, Lucknow Cantt, Govind Nagar, Ghosi and in Pratapgarh which is being contested by BJP alliance partner the Apna Dal.

The BJP, at present, seems to be losing two seats in the bypolls.

The SP is leading in Rampur and Zaidpur. It's lead in Rampur is being seen as the personal victory for SP MP Azam Khan who has cashed in on the sympathy wave that built up in his favour after the local administration lodged 84 criminal cases against him in the past two months.

The BSP is managing to hold on to its Jalalpur seat and has lost the lead it had in Iglas in the initial rounds. The party is trailing at the fourth position in Lucknow Cantt. and Rampur.

For the Congress, the bypoll has brought some hope. The party is leading in Gangoh and has managed to rank at the second position in Govind Nagar and Pratapgarh Assembly seats.IANS