UP MLC polls: BJP, SP win one seat each; counting underway

The ruling BJP and the Samajwadi Party bagged one seat each in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council election to the Graduates' constituencies on Saturday. Counting is underway in the remaining three constituencies.

BJP candidate Manvendra Pratap Singh 'Guru Ji' won the Agra Division Graduates' seat, while SP's Man Singh Yadav won from the Allahabad-Jhansi Division Graduates' seat, an election official said. Meanwhile, UP's Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla told PTI, the counting is underway in Graduates' constituencies of Varanasi, Lucknow and Meerut.

Polling was held on Tuesday for 11 seats -- five reserved for graduates and six for teachers. BJP, SP, Congress and teachers' associations contested the polls, with 199 candidates in the fray. The term of office of the MLCs from these constituencies expired on May 6.

In the Teachers' constituencies, the ruling BJP won three seats while the Samajwadi Party bagged two on Friday. At present, SP has 52 MLCs in the 100-member UP Legislative Council, followed by BJP which has 19. BSP has eight MLCs, Congress two, Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Shiksha Dal have one each. There are three independents and 14 seats are vacant.