UP MLC results: BJP faces tough fight in Gorakhpur, SP boycotts counting

Gorakhpur MLC results: BJP's three-term MLC Dhruv Kumar Tripathi bounced back after trailing initially to take a slender lead over the independent candidate in the Gorakhpur-Faizabad Teachers' constituency.UP CM Yogi Adityanath and BJP MLC Dhruv Kumar TripathiNew Delhi,Oct 28, 2026 17:30 ISTThe BJP is facing a tough contest in Gorakhpur, widely regarded as a party stronghold and the home turf of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections. BJP's three-term MLC Dhruv Kumar Tripathi bounced back after trailing initially to take a slender lead over independent candidate Rajeev Yadav in the Gorakhpur-Faizabad Teachers' constituency. However, the counting process has been marred by allegations of irregularities by the Samajwadi Party and the independent candidate.Of the 11 UP Legislative Council seats that went to polls, the BJP has so far won five constituencies, while the Samajwadi Party has bagged four, giving the ruling party a tough fight. Among the four won by the SP is the Varanasi Teachers' seat, which falls under the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.While MLC elections are not a direct reflection of voter mood, the results will be keenly watched ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. This is why the close contest in the BJP bastion of Gorakhpur has garnered attention.WHAT HAPPENED IN GORAKHPUR MLC ELECTIONS?After the counting of first-preference votes, Dhruv Tripathi secured 11,881 votes. Rajeev Yadav was hot on his heels, bagging 11,415 votes. The Samajwadi Party candidate, Dr Sanjayan Tripathi, came third, receiving 8,301 votes. Presently, the counting of second-preference votes is underway, with both Tripathi and Yadav locked in a close contest. The counting of votes witnessed several shifts. In the initial two rounds, Yadav maintained a slim lead ahead of Tripathi. By the end of the third round, the independent candidate extended his lead by over 370 votes. However, the fourth and final round of counting of first-preference votes brought a twist, with Tripathi surging ahead.The twist sparked a controversy. The Samajwadi Party boycotted the vote-counting process, accusing the election observer of "favouring" the BJP candidate.Brijesh Gautam, the acting district president of the Samajwadi Party, alleged that the Returning Officer (RO) refused to provide candidates with round-wise counting charts. Gautam said it raised questions over the transparency of the entire process."My demand was that... whenever counting takes place, we should be provided with the round-by-round chart as per the counting norms. However, the Returning Officer here refused to provide the round-by-round chart," Gautam told reporters.SP candidate Tripathi alleged that the counting trend changed abruptly after the first three rounds. "The trend changed abruptly, making it appear as though the outcome had been predetermined. Consequently, we decided to boycott the process," he said.Yadav, the independent candidate, also questioned the counting process. "There is definitely some foul play. I feel like it has just become a mere formality," he told ANI.The results in Gorakhpur-Faizabad Teachers' constituency is being closely watched because Gorakhpur is the home turf of CM Yogi Adityanath and a key BJP stronghold in eastern Uttar Pradesh. All eyes were on the 'Tripathi vs Tripathi' battle, but on Wednesday, the independent candidate sprung a surprise.- Ends