Lucknow, Dec. 23: The Bahujan Samaj Party faced the wrath of Dalit voters in Mayavati?s bastion of Akbarpur today, losing the seat its chief has won three times.

Arch-rival Samajwadi Party, which wrested the Akbarpur seat, retained Mainpuri. Byelections to the two Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha seats were held on Monday.

Dharmendra Yadav won the Mainpuri seat vacated by his cousin Mulayam Singh Yadav by 179,713 votes. Counting in this constituency had earlier been countermanded following violence and a fresh poll ordered.

The Samajwadi Party?s Sankhalal Manjhi beat the BSP?s Tribhubam Dutt into second place by 93,722 votes in Akbarpur which Mayavati vacated after the May elections to seek entry into the Rajya Sabha.

The BJP lost its deposit in both seats and the Congress did likewise in Mainpuri. The Congress moved up from fifth in the May election to third at Akbarpur this time.

The victories have taken the Samajwadi Party?s Lok Sabha tally up to 38; the BSP is down to 18.

Akbarpur, one of the most backward areas in eastern Uttar Pradesh, had become Mayavati?s caste laboratory as she launched her programmes for Dalit emancipation from this constituency. The base seems to have eroded now and the former chief minister looks less than invincible.

However, BSP Uttar Pradesh unit chief Bankhuram Verma alleged that largescale rigging and abuse of official machinery by the ruling Samajwadi Party had led to Dutt?s defeat.

But some party workers in Akbarpur think Mayavati?s whimsical decision to vacate the seat caused voter resentment and cost the BSP dear.

?The Mainpuri and Akbarpur bypoll results mirror the country?s politics. The mood of the voters show where Congress and BJP stand,? a jubilant chief minister Mulayam Singh said. He said the BSP?s defeat in Akbarpur reflected voter anger against Mayavati. ?She failed to deliver in her own comfort zone,? the Samajwadi Party chief said.

He said the Centre had insulted Mainpuri?s voters by letting the Election Commission loose on him to malign his image.

Forty companies of paramilitary forces were deployed in the constituency during the bypoll, making it look like a war zone.

Security forces were heard telling each other that they were there to defeat Mulayam Singh, the chief minister said, adding that the voters had given a fitting reply.