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India elections: Decisive victory for Modi's BJP in Uttar Pradesh | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Narendra Modi's party has won a landslide victory in one of India's key states, a boost for the prime minister halfway through his first term. | |
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took control of northern Uttar Pradesh state - India's most populous - with the biggest majority there since 1980. | |
Mr Modi personally led the campaign against regional rivals the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj party. | |
Trends suggest the BJP is also set to win the northern state of Uttarakhand. | Trends suggest the BJP is also set to win the northern state of Uttarakhand. |
The Election Commission of India said the Hindu nationalist BJP had won a clear majority in Uttar Pradesh, with nearly four in 10 voters backing the party. | |
"I give my heartfelt thanks to the people of Uttar Pradesh. This is a historic victory for the BJP; a victory for development and good governance," Mr Modi wrote on Twitter. | |
The result will strengthen the BJP in the upper house of India's parliament, where its reform efforts have been hampered by the lack of a majority. | |
Mr Modi has been central to his party's election strategy. He campaigned aggressively on a promise to bring growth and modernisation, and to root out corruption. | |
These were strong promises in an impoverished state like Uttar Pradesh where caste, family and religious affiliations are deeply entrenched. | These were strong promises in an impoverished state like Uttar Pradesh where caste, family and religious affiliations are deeply entrenched. |
Mr Modi also strongly backed his move to ban high-value notes - amounting to 86% of India's currency - last year as a measure to tackle corruption. | |
The incumbent chief minister, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, opposed the currency move, and told the electorate that Mr Modi had "taken money out of people's pockets", and hurt businesses. | |
He also told people that he was the best person to bring development. | |
"My track record in the past five years shows that I have a vision for the state," he said at a rally recently. | |
Analysts say Mr Yadav's decision to form an alliance with the Congress party, and his direct attack on Mr Modi's policies probably hurt his prospects. | |
Congress, the main opposition party, remains in the lead in Punjab and Manipur states. | |
Victory for 'adopted son' of Uttar Pradesh - Vikas Pandey, BBC News, Delhi | |
The BJP's resounding win in Uttar Pradesh has proven that Mr Modi's ability to connect with the voter has not diminished. | The BJP's resounding win in Uttar Pradesh has proven that Mr Modi's ability to connect with the voter has not diminished. |
The party did not declare a chief ministerial candidate, and relied heavily on Mr Modi. The opposition called him "an outsider from Gujarat state", and criticised the BJP for not having a local leader, but this has clearly not affected sentiment on the ground. | |
The prime minister was able to successfully project himself as the "adopted son of Uttar Pradesh". He is an elected MP from the state. | The prime minister was able to successfully project himself as the "adopted son of Uttar Pradesh". He is an elected MP from the state. |
The victory in Uttar Pradesh, as well as the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand will further boost his stature in national politics. | The victory in Uttar Pradesh, as well as the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand will further boost his stature in national politics. |
But there will be challenges ahead. People have put faith in Mr Modi's leadership, but he is not going to rule the state. | But there will be challenges ahead. People have put faith in Mr Modi's leadership, but he is not going to rule the state. |