Smriti Irani, Ajay Teni and Lallu Singh out from BJP

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It is being described as a classic David versus Goliath contest, with India Bloc candidates winning significant victories against several prominent leaders of the ruling party.

The defeated leaders included high-profile leaders like outspoken Union minister Smriti Irani, Amit Shah’s confidant minister Ajay Mishra Teni – whose son was allegedly involved in the tragic incident of mowing down protesting farmers – and Faizabad MP Lallu Singh, who had controversially claimed that the BJP would change the Constitution if it secured more than 400 seats in the elections.

Smriti Irani

The most shocking defeat came in Amethi, where Gandhi family loyalist KL Sharma defeated Union Minister Smriti Irani. Irani, who gained fame as a giant killer after defeating Rahul Gandhi in the same constituency in 2019, suffered an unexpected defeat.

Sharma, a trusted aide of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi during his tenure as MP from Rae Bareli, won a decisive victory by defeating Irani by a margin of 1.67 lakh votes. The result surprised many and marked a significant shift in the political landscape.

Ajay Mishra Teni

India Block candidate Utkarsh Verma emerged as another heavyweight in Lakhimpur Kheri, defeating BJP’s Ajay Mishra Teni, who is the Union Minister of State for Home. Verma won by 5.57 lakh votes, surpassing Teni’s 5.23 lakh votes, resulting in his victory margin of 34,000 votes. Verma, who has previously been an MLA from 2007 to 2012, made a strong comeback.