BJP govt once again in UP; incumbent party returns to power in the state for the first time in 36 years

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on cloud nine after the Assembly election results. By March 10 evening it has become clear that the BJP will form the government once again in four of the five states that went to the polls — Uttar Pradesh (UP), Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has defeated old, established parties like the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Wresting the state from the Congress, it will form the government in a full-fledged state for the first time. The exit poll results that came on March 7 have proved to be largely true.   

As per the information from the Election Commission of India (ECI) at 7.22 pm, the BJP has won or is leading in 255 seats in the 403-seat UP Assembly. In 2017, it had won 312 seats and is thus 60-odd seats down this time. The Samajwadi Party has won or is leading in 111 seats. The Apna Dal (Soneylal) and the Nishad Party, which are allies of the BJP, are likely to get 11 and seven seats respectively. The scores of other parties are as follows: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) - 1, Congress - 2, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik - 2, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) - 8 and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party - 6.  

The BJP has a 41.5 per cent vote share while the SP has 32 per cent. The BSP has 12.78 per cent of the votes and the RLD 2.98 per cent. The Congress has performed dismally with a mere 2.38 per cent of the votes.

This is for the first time in 36 years in the state that the incumbent party has come back to power. Although the BJP’s seats have reduced from its 2017 tally, it will comfortably form the government. Analysts say that free distribution of food along with religious polarization has played a crucial role in favour of the BJP. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s image of a strict administrator also seems to have gone in favour of the party.

The issues of inflation and stray cattle were heard only in the campaign; there seems to be no major impact of these on the results. However, the SP’s seats have nearly trebled. The BJP has suffered a loss in Western UP and the SP alliance has gained from this.

Among the prominent candidates, Yogi Adityanath is leading his SP rival by 92,896 votes in Gorakhpur Urban. But deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya was trailing in Sirathu by 6,946 votes. Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of SP, has won from Karhal by a margin of 67,504 votes. Shivpal Singh Yadav, also from SP, has won from Jaswantnagar by a margin of 90,979 votes.