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New Delhi, Mar 11 (Agencies): 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 gamechanger 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. "Yes, 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," Singhvi said. 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.
In Uttarakhand, the BJP put up a splendid show and is leading in 56 seats in the 70-member Assembly while Congress was ahead in only 10 seats. Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat lost Haridwar (Rural) and Kichcha seats to BJP. Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad attributed the party's poor show in the politically crucial UP to "public mood" and said its performance will be "scrutinised".
He, however, stressed that Congress' gains in Punjab and likeliness of the party forming government in Goa, ruled by the BJP until before the elections, should not be ignored. In Punjab, the Congress won 16 and was leading in 60 of the 117 constituencies while the AAP, making a debut in Punjab Assembly polls, was in second position winning six seats and ahead in 16.
The ruling SAD was demolished with the party winning one and leading in 13 while its coalition partner BJP led in three seats. Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh, who is the party's chief ministerial face, thanked people of the state for their overwhelming support. The Congress legislature party will meet tomorrow to elect its leader, he said.
Manipur threw up a hung assembly with the ruling Congress bagging 28 of the 60 seats and the BJP making giant strides to muster 21.
The Congress had won 42 seats in the 2012 assembly. The BJP, on the other hand, had no members in the outgoing House.
Human rights activist Irom Sharmila, who contested against Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, could secure only 90 votes and was relegated to the fourth position.
After her dismal showing, Sharmila announced that she would quit politics but continue her fight against the controversial AFSPA in the state.
The Naga Peoples Front (NPF) and the National People's Party (NPP) bagged four seats each. The Lokjanshakti Party and an Independent candidate won one seat each. In the 2012 assembly poll too LJP had won a seat.
The Trinamool Congress bagged one seat. The party had won seven seats in the previous assembly polls.
The Nationalist Congress Party which had bagged a seat in the previous assembly election, drew a blank this time.
Ibobi Singh romped home from Thoubal constituency defeating his nearest BJP rival L Basanta Singh by 10,400 votes.
The Congress and the BJP each claimed that they would form the government with the support of like-minded parties.
Manipur Congress chief T N Haokip told PTI, "We are confident that we will form the next government in Manipur. We are already in talks with like-minded secular and regional parties."
State BJP president K Bhabananda Singh also exuded confidence of forming the government in the state.
"We are confident of forming the next government in Manipur," he said.
The BJP's voteshare of 36 per cent is higher than the 34.7 per cent secured by the Congress.
Prominent Congress candidates who won included Md Abdul Naser and K Jaikishen Singh.
BJP leader N Biren Singh emerged victorious from Heingang seat, while other prominent winners of the party included Sapam R Singh and Heikham Dingo Singh.
Former state BJP chief Th Chaoba, however, lost.
Goa ended up with a hung assembly on Saturday but both the Congress and the BJP claimed they will form the new government in the coastal state.
While the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the 40-member house winning 17 seats, the BJP was second with 13 seats.
A Congress spokesperson said the party would soon stake claim to form the government while Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the BJP was already in talks with regional parties and Independents to return to power.
"A lot of like-minded people have been elected, including my friend Vijai (Sardesai of Goa Forward). Let the party leadership decide. Of course we will form the government," newly-elected Congress MLA from Valpoi, Vishwajeet Rane told IANS here.
Parrikar told a press conference late on Saturday said some smaller parties who are keen on siding with the BJP and not the Congress were in contact.
"Many of them have expressed clearly that they want to be associated with BJP and not with Congress," he said. Asked if he was in touch with these parties, he said: "Obviously".
While the Congress and BJP have accounted for a bulk of the votes, Goa Forward and the Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), both regional parties, have won three seats yet, while three Independents were also elected.
Their role would be crucial as far as government formation is concerned.
The result also revealed that as many as seven cabinet ministers, including Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, were defeated.
Parsekar finished second with 9,371 votes in Mandrem assembly seat with the Congress' Dayanand Sopte of the Congress winning with 16,490 votes. Parsekar late on Saturday submitted his resignation to Governor Mridula Sinha, who asked him to continue till alternative arrangments.
"She has accepted my resignation and asked me to continue as caretaker chief minister," Parsekar said.
On the result, Parsekar said that he was could not understand why the results panned out in the way they had.
"We provided allround development. We have also got a lot of support from the central government. I cannot understand this mandate, but I accept it... I think Goans have made a mistake," he said.
Sopte however told the media that Parsekar lost by a big margin because "people were unhappy with the CM's work."
Among other cabinet ministers who were defeated was Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar who lost the Saligao seat to Jayesh Salgaonkar of Goa Forward by 2,137 votes.
Water Resources Minister Dayanand Mandrekar also lost to Goa Forward's Vinod Palyenkar by 1,441 votes while Industries Minister Mahadev Naik lost to Congress' Subhash Shirodkar by 4,870 votes.
Former Minister and state MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar was defeated by Independent candidate Govind Gawde in Priol by 4,686 votes. Dhavalikar and his brother Sudin Dhavalikar were sacked from the cabinet by Parsekar, about a month before polls were announced in Goa.
Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado lost to Congress state chief Luizinho Faleiro by 2,478 votes in Navelim while Forest and Environment Minister Rajendra Arlekar lost to MGP's Manohar Ajgaonkar by 6,030 votes.
According to former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who won from Margao, the verdict was a slap in the face of the BJP-led coalition's governance.
"Ministers are losing everywhere, even the Chief Minister has lost. They (ministers) are even leaving counting halls after the first round. People were disgusted with them," he said.
Prominent winners included for Congress, former Chief Ministers Ravi Naik (Ponda) and Pratapsingh Rane (Poriem), Jennifer Monserrate (Taleigao), Filipe Neri Rodrigues (Velim), and Isidore Fernandes (Canacona) and for BJP, Mauvin Godinho (Dabolim), Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza (Mapusa), Milind Naik (Mormugao), and Glenn Ticlo (Aldona).
NCP's Churchill Alemao, making a political comeback after being arrested in connection with the multi-crore Louis Berger bribery scam two years back, won from Benaulim, beating his nearest rival Royla Fernandes of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by 5,191 votes.
One of the two parties which suffered the worst losses was AAP, which had made a determined bid to take power, but could not win a single seat, with its Chief Ministerial candidate Elvis Gomes coming fourth in Cuncolim, polling only 3,336 votes.
Congess' Clafasio Dias won from Cuncolim, defeating Independent Joaquim Alemao by just 213 votes.
"We have to respect the people's will. The fact remains that the AAP has made an impact on Goa and we will continue to work," Gomes said.
The Goa Surakha Manch, formed by ex-RSS leader Subhash Velinkar who had the Shiv Sena as his ally, also could not open its account.
PM overjoyed at poll results, terms it as 'very humbling'
An overjoyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described as "very humbling and overwhelming" the poll victories that the BJP got in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and thanked people for "continued faith and support".
He hailed BJP chief Amit Shah as also party office bearers and state units for their exemplary work in taking the party to new heights.
"Am overjoyed that BJP has received unprecedented support from all sections of society. Huge support from the youth is gladdening," Modi said while commenting on the poll results in a series of tweets.
"Gratitude to the people of India for the continued faith, support and affection for the BJP. This is very humbling & overwhelming," he said.
He said, "Every moment of our time, everything we do is for welfare & wellbeing of the people of India. We believe in the power of 125 crore Indians."
He saluted the hardwork of BJP workers, saying "They have tirelessly worked hard at the grassroots level & won the confidence of the people."
In another tweet, Modi said, "Congratulations to @AmitShah, party office bearers & state units for their exemplary work in taking the party to new heights."
Thanking people of UP, he said "This historic victory of BJP is for development and good governance."
Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, said, "As an MP from Kashi, I am overwhelmed by the strong faith and love showered by the people there on me. I bow to the people of Kashi."
Describing victory in Uttarakhand as "special", the Prime Minister said, "I assure people of the state that BJP will serve them with dedication."
He also thanked the people of Punjab for giving Akali Dal-BJP combine the opportunity to serve for 10 years and "for the support we got in these polls."
Leads / Trends: This page will be refreshed automatically (Once in three minutes)
Uttar Pradesh: Total seats 403
BJP : 324
SP - Congress : 57
BSP : 19
Others: 3
Punjab - 117
Congress : 77
S Akali Dal : 18
AAP : 22
Others : 0
Uttarakhand - 70
Congress : 11
BJP : 57
BSP : 0
Others : 2
Manipur - 60
Congress : 28
BJP : 21
PRJA :
Left : 1
Others : 10
Goa - 40
Congress : 18
BJP : 14
AAP :
Others : 8