Lucknow, May 12 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have intensified their campaigns for the bypoll on the Lucknow East Assembly seat, polling for which will be held on May 20 during the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election.

The Lucknow East seat fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Ashutosh Tandon, son of former MP late Lalji Tandon.

BJP first won this seat in 1991 when Bhagwati Prasad Shukla won the Assembly elections. Since then, BJP has maintained a stronghold on this seat.

BJP has fielded O. P. Srivastava, who currently serves on the State Working Committee and holds the position of State Convener of the Lifelong Support Fund Department. He has previously served as treasurer in the Awadh region.

Srivastava said: “Everyone knows that the election is for Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and I am just a candidate. For BJP, it is a test of our ability to maintain a stronghold in the Assembly segment where we have traditionally performed well.”

Highlighting BJP’s developmental achievements, Srivastava mentioned: “The BJP has undertaken development works that no other government was able to accomplish in the past. From constructing big flyovers to building giant nullahs, all major projects were completed during the BJP regime. The Outer Ring Road is now complete and connectivity is not an issue. The BJP has demonstrated to the residents how development is achieved.”

The INDIA (Congress) candidate for the seat is Mukesh Singh Chauhan, a three-time corporator, who is well-connected with the residents of the area.

“I am working on the ground, meeting every voter in a door-to-door campaign. My campaign is running on the ground, while the BJP contestant is still in the air, as if he has won the election in advance. However, I have met voters in Indira Nagar, Gomti Nagar, Vikas Nagar, and other areas and everyone wants change,” said Chauhan.

Chauhan is banking on his work as a corporator and the campaign by INDIA leaders.

Meanwhile, BJP’s O. P. Srivastava is confident of Modi’s magic and Yogi’s charisma putting him on the road to victory.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami have campaigned for him.