SP Stuns in UP as INDI Leads on 42 of 80 Seats; BJP Heavyweights Fall Behind

Lucknow: As counting for 543 Lok Sabha seats continued, INDI alliance delivered a surprising performance in Uttar Presh, leing in 42 of total 80 constituencies, according to trends on Election Commission website. Within INDI bloc, Samajwi Party (SP) was ahe in 34 seats, and Congress in eight, based on EC's data for 80 parliamentary constituencies in state.

In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP-led NDA achieved a dominant victory in Uttar Presh, winning 62 of state's 80 seats. BSP and Samajwi Party, n allies, secured 10 and five seats, respectively. However, this year saw a significant shift as Samajwi Party and Congress, now part of INDI alliance, jointly dominated Uttar Presh. Meanwhile, BSP failed to secure any seats in state.  For unversed, Akhilesh Yav-led Samajwi Party was contesting 62 seats, while Congress was vying for 17 seats in 2024 general elections.   

Meanwhile, BJP h retained its alliance with Apna Dal (Sonelal) and expanded NDA fold to include Jayant Chaudhary’s RLD and OP Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party.  Initial trends showed that BJP-led NDA was leing in 37 seats, with BJP itself ahe in 35 and its ally RLD in two. Az Samaj Party (Kanshiram) was leing in one seat. unexpected le by INDI alliance has put many BJP heavyweights on back foot.

BJP Heavyweights Fall Behind

Leers like Smriti Irani, Ajay Mishra Teni, Maneka Gandhi and Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal(S) were trailing in Amethi, Kheri, Sultanpur and Mirzapur seats respectively. On Faizab seat in Ayodhya district, BJP's Lallu Singh is trailing by 5,326 votes against SP's Awhesh Pras.   

Who's Leing? 

Among prominent leers who have taken comfortable les over ir rivals are Narendra Modi in Varanasi, Rajnath Singh in Lucknow, Samajwi Party chief Akhilesh Yav and his wife Dimple Yav in Kannauj and Mainpuri respectively, Congress candidates Rahul Gandhi and Kishori Lal Sharma in Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively. BJP's Arun Govil and Hema Malini were also ahe of ir rivals in Meerut and Mathura seats respectively.