Insight Bureau: The silent voters of Uttar Pradesh, especially women, voted for Yogi Adityanath, giving a thumbs up to his work on women’s safety and security. The victory was not easy, as it shattered 35-year jinx in Uttar Pradesh with the repetition of incumbent Government.
Although BJP’s seats went down from 312 to 247 (leading), the victory was very very special, as the party beat the anti-incumbency, farmers protests, caste equation, rising unemployment and price rise (including fuel price). Call it rise of Hinduvta or development agenda, both worked for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. They even won in Lakhimpur Kheri, Hathras and Unnao – the places which had embarassed the saffron party for various reasons.
Out of 403 seats, BJP is currently leading/winning in 247 seats while its allies are ahead in 18 seats, making it 265 for BJP+. On the other hand, the Samajwadi Party is leading/winning in 117 seats while its allies are ahead in 16 seats, making it 133. Congress is ahead in 2 seats while BSP in just 1 seat.
Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party definitely gained huge by taking it from 47 in 2017 to 117 in 2022. But, that was not enough to beat Modi-Yogi duo in Uttar Pradesh. However, a stronger Opposition in UP will definitely make Yogi’s task more difficult than anticipated.