New Delhi: The Milkipur Assembly by-election in Ayodhya saw a fierce contest between BJP's Chandrabhanu Paswan and Samajwadi Party's (SP) Ajit Prasad. Paswan emerged victorious with 1,46,397 votes, leading by 61,710 votes.

The by-election was necessitated after SP Awadhesh Prasad vacated the seat following his victory in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency.

Who Is Chandrabhanu Prasad?

As per reports, Chandrabhanu Paswan was born on April 3, 1986, in Parsauli village. He pursued a BCom and LLB before venturing into politics. He has been elected twice as a Zilla Panchayat member from Rudauli, and his wife currently holds a position as a Panchayat member. His father, Ramlakhan Paswan, had been elected village head for an impressive fourth term in 2021.

Chandrabhanu’s family reporetdly has strong ties to business, with operations not just in Rudauli but also a saree business in Surat. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he actively supported the community by providing ration, food, and sanitizers to those in need. He also played a vital role in arranging transportation for migrant laborers to help them return home safely during the crisis.

Milkipur has a voter base of around 3.60 lakh, with a significant presence of Dalit and Pasi communities, among other key groups like OBCs, Muslims, Brahmins, and Yadavs. Both the BJP and SP campaigned vigorously for this crucial seat, making it a highly contested race.