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Congress setback in crucial India Uttar Pradesh polls | Congress setback in crucial India Uttar Pradesh polls |
(39 minutes later) | |
India's governing Congress party has suffered a major setback as votes are counted in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. | India's governing Congress party has suffered a major setback as votes are counted in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. |
The regional Samajwadi Party appears headed for a landslide - it has won 194 seats and is leading in another 29. The state has 403 seats. | |
Congress also looks set to lose in Punjab, while it is engaged in a neck-and-neck contest in Uttarakhand state. | Congress also looks set to lose in Punjab, while it is engaged in a neck-and-neck contest in Uttarakhand state. |
These polls are seen as a litmus test for national elections due by 2014. | These polls are seen as a litmus test for national elections due by 2014. |
They are also seen as a test for the Congress party-led central government, whose credibility has been eroded in recent months over a series of corruption allegations. | They are also seen as a test for the Congress party-led central government, whose credibility has been eroded in recent months over a series of corruption allegations. |
Manipur and Goa are the other states where counting is going on. | Manipur and Goa are the other states where counting is going on. |
Blow to Congress | Blow to Congress |
The most important of the state elections has been in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which has more than 200 million people. | The most important of the state elections has been in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which has more than 200 million people. |
The lane outside the offices of the Samajwadi Party in Lucknow is choked with traffic, dancing supporters and media broadcast vans. | The lane outside the offices of the Samajwadi Party in Lucknow is choked with traffic, dancing supporters and media broadcast vans. |
The crowds began gathering as the first results started pouring in and gradually built up. | The crowds began gathering as the first results started pouring in and gradually built up. |
As it became clear that Samajwadi was heading for a massive win, the celebrations became frenzied. | As it became clear that Samajwadi was heading for a massive win, the celebrations became frenzied. |
Firecrackers exploded in the air and on the ground, shrouding everyone with thick smoke. Excited supporters began dancing on the streets, accompanied by drummers dressed in the party colours. | Firecrackers exploded in the air and on the ground, shrouding everyone with thick smoke. Excited supporters began dancing on the streets, accompanied by drummers dressed in the party colours. |
Coloured powder was thrown on just about anyone - it seemed that Holi, the festival of colours, had arrived a couple of days early. | Coloured powder was thrown on just about anyone - it seemed that Holi, the festival of colours, had arrived a couple of days early. |
Inside, an equally large crowd chanted "netaji, netaji", referring to Mulayam Singh Yadav, the wrestler turned politician who is poised to become the state's new leader. | Inside, an equally large crowd chanted "netaji, netaji", referring to Mulayam Singh Yadav, the wrestler turned politician who is poised to become the state's new leader. |
Others raised posters of his son, Akhilesh, widely credited with the victory. | Others raised posters of his son, Akhilesh, widely credited with the victory. |
"Forget Rahul, Akhilesh is the yuvraj (crown prince)", one delirious supporter yelled as others cheered in approval. As for Congress - "They're finished," chuckled one man. The cheers grew louder. | "Forget Rahul, Akhilesh is the yuvraj (crown prince)", one delirious supporter yelled as others cheered in approval. As for Congress - "They're finished," chuckled one man. The cheers grew louder. |
Politics in the state has been dominated in recent years by Mayawati, a low-caste Dalit who heads the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and has had four terms as chief minister. | Politics in the state has been dominated in recent years by Mayawati, a low-caste Dalit who heads the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and has had four terms as chief minister. |
She has largely alternated in power with Mulayam Singh Yadav, leader of the Samajwadi Party. It mainly represents the interests of a caste grouping called the Other Backward Classes. | She has largely alternated in power with Mulayam Singh Yadav, leader of the Samajwadi Party. It mainly represents the interests of a caste grouping called the Other Backward Classes. |
With returns coming in from all the seats in the state, Samajwadi is on track to form a majority government - it has won 194 seats and is leading in 29 more. The ruling BSP is a distant second with 66 wins and leads in 14 seats. | |
The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 43 seats and is leading in four more, while the Congress party is leading in six seats with 22 wins. | |
As the results came in, Samajwadi supporters danced in the street outside the party's headquarters in Lucknow, the state capital, says the BBC's Sanjoy Majumder. | As the results came in, Samajwadi supporters danced in the street outside the party's headquarters in Lucknow, the state capital, says the BBC's Sanjoy Majumder. |
Speaking to BBC Hindi's Ram Dutt Tripathi in Lucknow, Mr Yadav said: "The credit for our victory goes to the people, workers of the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh [Mr Yadav's son and heir apparent]." | |
The 72-year-old Samajwadi Party leader, who is now expected to lead the government in the state, said he would "try to meet all the expectations of the voters". | |
He said the party's legislative board would meet on Wednesday to elect the new chief minister. | |
Speaking in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi took responsibility for his party's disappointing results. | Speaking in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi took responsibility for his party's disappointing results. |
The scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is widely tipped to be India's next prime minister. He was not running in the state polls, but had led campaigning for Congress in Uttar Pradesh. | The scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is widely tipped to be India's next prime minister. He was not running in the state polls, but had led campaigning for Congress in Uttar Pradesh. |
"I led the campaign, so it's my responsibility, we fought well but the results are not that good," he said. | "I led the campaign, so it's my responsibility, we fought well but the results are not that good," he said. |
"Organisationally we are not where we should be in UP [Uttar Pradesh]... I think it will be a very good lesson for me, because I think it will make me think about things in a detailed way." | "Organisationally we are not where we should be in UP [Uttar Pradesh]... I think it will be a very good lesson for me, because I think it will make me think about things in a detailed way." |
In Punjab, results have been declared for all 117 seats. The incumbent regional Shrimoni Akali Dal-BJP alliance has won with 68 seats beating Congress which has won 46 seats. | |
The race in Uttarakhand is neck-and-neck. The ruling BJP has won 28 seats and is leading in another three, while Congress has won 27 seats and is ahead in five. Uttarakhand has 70 seats. | |
In Goa, the BJP has won 20 seats and is leading in one while Congress has won nine seats. Goa has 40 seats. | |
Congress has won in the north-eastern state of Manipur where the party has got 42 of the total 60 seats. | |
The month-long elections were held in a total of 690 assembly seats and were staggered over a number of phases for security and logistical reasons. | The month-long elections were held in a total of 690 assembly seats and were staggered over a number of phases for security and logistical reasons. |