'UP ke ladke' spring surprise as SP-Cong alliance pips BJP in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

An electoral outcome that may have significant bearing on who forms the government in Delhi, the INIDA bloc has garnered substantial gains in 45 seats (the BJP in 33 and the RLD in one). The NDA bloc is leading in 34 seats.

However, the counting is underway for all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Among the key Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were leading from the Varanasi, Lucknow, Rae Bareli and Kannauj Lok Sabha seats, respectively.

In 2019, NDA won 64 Lok Sabha seats in UP with BJP’s tally alone being 62. In 2014, the BJP won 71 seats in the state. Right through the campaign, the saffron party had maintained that it will better its previous two performance— in 2014 and 2019.

For 2024 parliamentary polls, the BJP has allied with Apna Dal (Sonelal), Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and the Nishad party (Nirbal Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal), which caters to three key caste groups: Kurmi, which felt a rivalry from the Yadavs for not getting enough political representation, the assertive Rajbhar and Mallah from the extremely backward castes, whom the BJP has tried to woo by celebrating Raja Suheldev Jayanti (and the projection of his fighting Islamic rulers).

Union ministers Smriti Irani and Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal (S)), and senior BJP leader Maneka Gandhi were trailing in the Amethi, Mirzapur, and Sultanpur Lok Sabha seats, respectively.