New Delhi, Delhi, India

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, now that they are part of the state government, will have to give up their Lok Sabha seats. 

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It is expected that the by-elections to the seats, once they are vacated, will be held sometime in November-December. 

The buzz is that BSP supremo Mayawati might fight the by-election to the Phoolpur seat -- which is currently held by Maurya. 

News reports say that should Mayawati fight, she will do so as a joint Oppposition (BSP-SP-Congress) candidate. 

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The reports say Mayawati stands a good chance of winning should she fight from Phoolpur. 

That the constituency has enough Muslims and Dalits to beat back the BJP. 

And that should she win, not only will it increase her stature but that it would also set the "mahagatbandhan" of the BSP, SP, and Congress rolling for the 2019 general election. 

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On the other hand, news reports say BJP president Amit Shah -- now that the Presidential elections are over -- has also got his eye on UP and that Maurya might be told not to give up his Lok Sabha seat and instead step down as UP deputy chief minister. (UP has two deputy CMs, the other one being Dinesh Sharma.) 

Maurya will then move to the Centre. 

He is currently in Delhi. 

Maurya not giving up his Lok Sabha seat would mean the end of Mayawati fighting for it. 

And would effectively block her return to Parliament. 

Mayawati had recently resigned from the Rajya Sabha, saying she was not being allowed to talk about "atrocities being committed against Dalits".