New Delhi, Mar 11 : The BJP headed for a stunning victory today in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, trampling a fragmented opposition that had hoped the demonetisation exercise would have chipped away at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity.
The BJP was also locked in a close contest in Goa and Manipur with the Congress, which won the consolation prize of Punjab where it will form the government.
Modi’s party was now set to return to power in Uttar Pradesh after a 14-year gap during which regional parties such as the SP and BSP had held sway.
“The prime minister has clearly established himself as the predominant leader in India,” said Aarti Jerath, a political analyst, on NDTV.
BJP president Amit Shah, who crafted and conducted the election strategy in UP, credited Modi and his policies for the victory.
“This is the victory of the corruption-free rule and pro-poor polices under the leadership” of Modi, he tweeted.
“BJP has reached new heights in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and changed the political picture of the country,” Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said amid scenes of jubilation at party offices in UP.
Party members danced and distributed sweets on streets and BJP offices. Women gathered in groups to watch results on TV danced as the results came in. One party leader said Holi, which will be celebrated on Sunday and Monday, has come a day early.
Terming the BJP victory as “shocking” and “difficult to swallow”, BSP leader Mayawati hinted at vote fraud in the elections that were spread over seven phases during the last two months in the five states.
She provided no evidence for her allegation, and it is unlikely to be taken seriously. Her party is expected to finish third.
After five hours of counting, the BJP won or led in 309 seats in UP. Along with its allies Apna Dal (Soneylal Patel)and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), the party will have a comfortable two-thirds majority in the 403-member legislative assembly.
The party had, however, not put forward any chief ministerial candidate. BJP leaders said the decision will be taken by the BJP parliamentary board and the legislature party in the state soon.
The BJP, which had just 47 seats in the outgoing Assembly, garnered 40 per cent vote share in the most riveting contest seen as a game changer and a virtual referendum on Modi’s popularity and demonetisation.
The party also went to the elections without fielding any Muslim candidate.
The nascent SP-Congress coalition was ahead in only 56 seats while Mayawati’s BSP was a distant third leading only in 20 places. The SP, whose campaign was spearheaded by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on development agenda, led in 49 seats.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi acknowledged that the party’s defeat was massive.
The previous best showing by BJP in UP was in 1991, at the height of Ram Janam Bhoomi movement, when it got majority on its own winning 221 seats out of 425 in an undivided state.
SP leader and a state minister, Gayatri Prajapati, who is wanted in an alleged gangrape case and attempt to rape a minor, was trailing in Amethi, where Garima Singh (BJP), the first wife of Congress leader Sanjay Sinh, was leading.
Ameeta Singh (Cong), the current wife of Sanjay Sinh, was also trailing.
In Noida, Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s son Pankaj Singh was leading by an impressive margin.
The trends also showed BJP’s Sangeet Singh Som, who was booked in the Muzaffarnagar riots, leading in Sardhana.
Kailash Vijaywargia, a BJP general secretary, said that the perception that the BJP was a party of the upper castes has been demolished as all sections of the society including Dalits and Muslims voted for it.
“The central government schemes have benefitted everyone.
Muslim women have also benefitted from the schemes. Modi has created confidence in every section,” he said.
- Cong says UP loss hurts, takes solace from Punjab, Goa
- Admitting that the loss in Uttar Pradesh was hurting, the Congress today said some fundamental restructuring and tough decisions on strategy were required.The opposition party congratulated the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their victory in UP and Uttarakhand, highlighted its own gains in Punjab and Goa and said it will introspect on its performance.
“The UP is a bad loss, it hurts…I agree that, in UP, we need fundamental restructuring thinking for the Congress as a whole. These have to be hard, tough decisions about strategy,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
Party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it will introspect on the reasons for the loss in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and will re-dedicate itself to strengthening the party and being the watchdog of people.
“We congratulate the BJP and PM, Sh. Narender Modi, on the victory in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. We bow before the verdict of people of the two states. Congress never arrogates in victory and is not discouraged in defeat.
“Congress will introspect on the reasons for the loss in these two states and re-dedicate itself to strengthening the party and being the watchdog of people of the two states,” he said.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Surjewala said these election results are also a lesson to those who are never tired of speaking about ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ (Congress-free India).
“We hope that BJP will shift the narrative from ‘Shamshan-Kabristan’ to the politics of development and brotherhood that is intrinsic to the ‘Ganga-Jamuni’ culture of UP and will provide the much-needed relief by waiving farmer’s loans, market driven MSP for crops, jobs for youth and ushering in a new era of industrialisation,” he said.
He said the Congress recognises its historical responsibility in UP and Uttarakhand and will stand committed to rebuilding the party organisation and will win people’s hearts and minds.
Another Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad attributed the party’s poor show in the politically crucial state to “public mood” and said its performance will be “scrutinised”.
