Riding the Modi wave, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday secured a massive win in Uttar Pradesh, capturing over 300 seats in the 403-member Assembly.
BJP president Amit Shah credited Prime Minister Narendra 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.
“The 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.
A look at the key winners and losers .
The impressive showing by the BJP is seen as a reaffirmation of Mr. Modi’s standing among the masses and popular endorsement of his agenda, especially the demonetisation of Rs. 1,000 and old Rs. 500 notes.
The win also boosts the party's strength in the Rajya Sabha where the Congress-led Opposition has been able to block the government’s legislative agenda due to its numerical superiority.
The updates:
6.59 p.m.: EC responds to BSP demand for probe into EVM "tampering", says various courts have upheld use of EVMs. Lists the precautions taken to ensure it is foolproof. Commission says it has not found any merit in the BSP complaint.
6.18 p.m.: Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav resigns; Governor Ram Naik accepts his resignation.
5.04 p.m.: Now, SP president Akhilesh Yadav addresses the media. He says the SP-Congress alliance will continue and thanks the electorate for exercising their franchise. "Hope the next govt. does a good job," he adds.
"Our cycle has tubeless tyres," he says, to a question if his party has lost momentum. To a question on BSP Supremo Mayawati's remarks that the EVMs were rigged to help the BJP, he says, "Such a big leader [Mayawati] is making the allegation, so it needs to be probed."
5.01 p.m.: Meanwhile, this happened.
3.32 p.m.: BJP president Amit Shah addresses the media party at headquarters in New Delhi. He begins his address by conveying his Holi greetings. He thanks the electorate of all the five States that went to the polls. "The BJP will form governments in four of the five States. We have to accept the fact that the Prime Minister is the strongest leader since Independence. The electorate have given a befitting reply to our naysayers," he says.
The politics of performance will drive future elections. "U.P.'s development is essential to India's growth and we can't imagine double-digit growth without its help. We will make sure that we do justice to the faith that people have placed on us,'' he adds.
On the party's poor showing in Punjab, he says, "We'll review our performance in Punjab."
"This is a happy moment for us and will change the course of India's politics."
To a question, he says, "We need to come out of Hindu-Muslim politics. Everyone wants development and performance."
Responding to a question on BSP supremo Mayawati's remarks, he says, "I understand Mayawatiji's state of mind, but don't want to comment on her statement on EVMs."
The people are strongly behind Mr. Modi on his decision to demonetise Rs. 1,000 and old Rs. 500 notes. The Opposition based their strategy over the note ban and failed. "The poll result paves the way for politics that doesn't involve caste or religion."
Mr. Shah thanks the media and coveys his Holi greetings again.
1.39 p.m.: Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati says EVMs were tampered with and that helped the BJP win the polls. "Most votes in Muslim majority constituencies have gone to the BJP, so it's evident that voting machines were manipulated."
BJP workers celebrate the results of the U.P. Assembly polls outside party headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday.
12.51 p.m.: It is a victory of the BJP’s ideology and the Prime Minister's pro-poor and development policies, says Mr. Shah. Home Minister Rajnath Singh says "This is a big victory. The BJP has reached new heights in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and has changed political picture of the country."
12.26 p.m.: Our deputy national editor Srinivasan Ramani shares some numbers on the results:
News analysis | With U.P. win, Modi consolidates grip over a new BJP
The BJP’s spectacular showing in Uttar Pradesh is bigger than its victory at the height of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in 1991. What does that mean for the BJP as a political party?
It asserts, yet again, that it is now firmly in the grip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The collegial way in which the party was run is history and it is unlikely to be revived under the reign of Mr. Modi.
12.05 p.m.: The results have started coming. Rajeev Kumar of the BJP wins Dhanaura, beats Jagram Singh of the SP by 38,229 votes.
12.02 p.m.: Here's a look at an interview of Mr. Amit Shah where he told our correspondent Nistula Hebbar , "I am sure that on March 11, your headline will be “BJP demonetises the Opposition in U.P.”.
11.15 a.m.: Celebrations begin at the BJP's Lucknow office. BJP MLA from Varanasi north seat Ravindra Jaiswalat is confident that his party will win all 8 seats in Varanasi. "It's all Prime Minister Narendra Modi's magic in Uttar Pradesh. We're heading towards absolute majority", he says. Meanwhile, the BSP office at Ashok Nagar in Varanasi is empty.
10.45 a.m.: In Dadri, where Akhlaq was lynched over alleged possession of beef, BJP's Tejpal Singh Nagar is leading with 8147 votes, ahead of the BSP. Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari (BSP), son Abbas and brother Sigbatullah are trailing in Mau, Ghosi and Mohammadabad seats, respectively.
10.32 a.m.: Our correspondent Amarnath Tewary captures the mood in Varanasi:
The Samajwadi Party office at Orderly Bazaar, locally known as Ardali Bazaar, is locked. Its leader Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice President Rahul Gandhi had campaigned heavily to counter Mr. Modi's three-day campaign in the holy city.
Local BJP leaders and workers at the party's office in Sigra chant "har har Modi, Jai Sri Ram." Preparation are on to celebrate the the victory. "This is called Modi magic", party office in-charge Satendra Dubey tells The Hindu .
9.52 a.m.: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah says, "In a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan India acceptability who can take on Modi and the BJP in 2019." says.
Celebrations by party cadres being reported from across the State.
9.49 a.m.: A quick round-up:
Siddharth Nath Singh of the BJP leads in Allahabad West by 2,295 votes.
The BJP leads in Ayodhya by 2,193 votes.
Shivpal Singh Yadav leads in Jaswantnagar by 2,120 votes. The BJP is in the second place.
Mulayam Singh Yadav’s daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav trails Rita Joshi (BJP) in the Lucknow Cant seat.
Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey (SP) trails in Itwa (Siddharth Nagar), BJP leading in the seat.
Minister Azam Khan leading in Rampur, Aditi Singh of the Congress leading in Rae Bareli.
Azam Khan's son Abdullah is leading in Suar by 401 vote; the BJP is in the second place.
9.20 a.m.: There are reports saying BJP workers have started celebrations in various parts of the State, including Lucknow. The BJP is ahead in 127 seats now , almost double the number of seats that the SP is leading in. The BSP is at third, with 40 seats. Source: All India Radio
Our Correspondent Mohammad Ali says Suresh Rana, an accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, is leading by 2,602 votes and ahead of the RLD in Thana Bhawan in Shamli.
8.53 a.m.: And the BJP continues to march ahead. According to All India Radio, the party is leading in 55 seats. The SP+ and the BSP are ahead in 36 and 25 seats, respectively.
Azam Khan and Gayatri Prajapati (Amethi) are leading in their respective constituencies, reports ANI. Uttar Khan’s son Abdullah is trailing from Swar in Rampur district.
8.43 a.m.: Now, the BJP+ takes the lead and is ahead in 29 constituencies . The SP+ and the BSP come in at second and third, with 20 and 16, respectively. Mr. Akhilesh Yadav had hinted that the SP was not averse to considering a post poll arrangement with the BSP in the event of a hung Assembly in the State.
8.00 a.m.: Counting of votes under way in 78 centres across 75 districts. All India Radio is reporting that the SP+ has taken a slender lead in the early trends, ahead in 9 constituencies, with the BJP and the BSP neck-and-neck at 8.
7.22 a.m.: Amarnath Tewary visits Varanasi to understand the mood of the people. They all seem to have only question: who would play Holi, the festival of colour, this time? Here are some of the conversations that were heard from benches by the roadside.
7.08 a.m.: The Hindu 's Editorial
"For all three, it could be a defining moment: for the BJP to consolidate itself as the primary pole in national politics, for the BSP to retain its electoral salience, and for the SP-Congress to demonstrate the power of an unlikely alliance."
6.44 a.m.:
If Mr. Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks in response to questions by the BBC were guarded, so were the BSP supremo Mayawati’s when asked to respond to his overtures.
She simply said her party would get enough seats to form the next government — she did not reject the idea out of hand.
This has surprised many as in the past, Ms. Mayawati has tied up with the BJP on more than one occasion. But the sense that is emerging now is that Ms. Mayawati, facing a battle of survival, may have other ideas now.
