Panchayat poll results jolt for Samajwadi Party heavyweights

Lucknow, Nov 2  In a major setback to Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party, relatives of many ministers and senior leaders were defeated in the panchayat elections. Counting of votes is underway on Monday.

Officials with the state Election Commission told IANS that so far results of 35,000 regional panchayat wards have been declared, and of the 3,112 posts of district panchayat members, 19 results have been declared. 

Many family members of ministers in the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet contested the polls but have bit the dust. 

Family members of ministers like Manoj Kumar Pandey, S.P. Yadav and minister rank Samajwadi Party leader Vidyawati are trailing. 

Minister Kailash Yadav's son is trailing while incumbent district panchayat chairman of Ghazipur and SP leader Shishupal Yadav is also on the verge of defeat.

Minister Mehboob Ali's wife and son are trailing behind their rival candidates, minister Rampal Rajvanshi's both daughters have been routed in Sitapur. 

The Samajwadi Party has also faced jolt in Farukkhabad.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said: "The polls results are an indicator that the people of the state, specially in the villages, have decided to bid good bye to the corrupt and inefficient Samajwadi Party government."