SP retains both Varanasi council seats in setback for BJP ahead of UP polls

The Samajwadi Party kept both the teachers and graduates legislative council seats in Varanasi, PM Modi's Lok Sabha constituency. Of 11 council seats in Uttar Pradesh, BJP won six and SP five, up from two last time, months before Assembly elections. SP's Lal Bihari Yadav retained the teachers seat, defeating BJP's Pramod Kumar Mishra by 5,015 votes.