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Congress setback in crucial India Uttar Pradesh polls Congress setback in crucial India Uttar Pradesh polls
(about 1 hour 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 15 and is leading in another 200 seats. The state has 403 seats. The regional Samajwadi Party appears headed for a landslide - it has won 129 and is leading in another 94 seats. 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 CongressBlow to Congress
The most crucial 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.
Uttar Pradesh politics 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. The lane outside the offices of the Samajwadi Party in Lucknow is choked with traffic, dancing supporters and media broadcast vans.
After all the hype about Rahul Gandhi leading a resurrection of the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh, the poll results there and in Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand can only be termed as a major setback for the party's national fortunes. The crowds began gathering as the first results started pouring in and gradually built up.
A victory in Manipur can't make up for the setbacks in the other states. As it became clear that Samajwadi was heading for a massive win, the celebrations became frenzied.
The trends from Uttar Pradesh also indicate a major groundswell of support for Mulayam Singh Yadav and the Samajwadi Party, which looks set to return to power after a gap of five years. 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.
The defeat of Chief Minister Mayawati and her Bahujan Samaj Party clearly indicates that she alienated many voters during her tenure. Coloured powder was thrown on just about anyone - it seemed that Holi, the festival of colours, had arrived a couple of days early.
The Congress party's inability to capture power in Punjab and the ding-dong battle with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttarakhand are not a good sign for Congress, which looked upon the five state assembly elections as an event that could have set a positive tone for the Lok Sabha polls in 2014. 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.
The BJP and its allies have done well in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa, but the party has come a cropper in Uttar Pradesh. Others raised posters of his son, Akhilesh, widely credited with the victory.
It is in good company with Congress as the two parties slug it out for the third and fourth slots in Uttar Pradesh. "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.
Her main challenger for state power was Mulayam Singh Yadav, who heads the Samajwadi Party. It mainly represents the interests of a caste grouping called the Other Backward Classes. 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.
With numbers coming in from all the seats in the state, the Samajwadi Party appears set to win a majority - it has won 15 seats and is leading in 200 more. The ruling BSP is a distant second with leads in 84 seats and three wins. 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.
The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won two seats and is leading in 44 seats; and Congress party is leading in 27 seats. With returns coming in from all the seats in the state, the Samajwadi is on track to form a majority government - it has won 129 seats and is leading in 94 more. The ruling BSP is a distant second with 41 wins and leads in 38 seats.
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in the state capital, Lucknow, says Samajwadi supporters danced in the street outside party headquarters as the results came in. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 27 seats and is leading in 22 more, while the Congress party is leading in 15 seats with 12 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 it became clear the party was headed to victory, the celebrations became frenzied, our correspondent says, with firecrackers exploding and people throwing coloured powder around, as if Holi, the Hindi festival of colour, had arrived a few days early.As it became clear the party was headed to victory, the celebrations became frenzied, our correspondent says, with firecrackers exploding and people throwing coloured powder around, as if Holi, the Hindi festival of colour, had arrived a few days early.
Correspondents say the counts in Uttar Pradesh are a blow to the Congress party.
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, and 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, the incumbent regional Shrimoni Akali Dal-BJP alliance has won 54 and is leading in 14 seats. Punjab has 117 seats. In Punjab, results have been declared for all 117 seats. The incumbent regional Shrimoni Akali Dal-BJP alliance has won with 68 seats beating the Congress which has won 46 seats.
The Congress party has won 40 and is leading in another six seats. Uttarakhand is seeing a neck-and-neck contest, where the ruling BJP has won 24 seats and is leading in another eight, while Congress has won 18 seats and is ahead in 13. Uttarakhand has 70 seats.
Uttarakhand is seeing a neck-and-neck contest, where the ruling BJP has won six seats and is leading in another 26, while Congress has won four seats and is ahead in 27. Uttarakhand has 70 seats. In Goa, the BJP has won 19 seats and is leading in one while Congress has won eight seats and is leading in one. Goa has 40 seats.
In Goa, the BJP has won 15 seats and is leading in another four while Congress has won eight seats. Goa has 40 seats. Congress is doing well in the north-eastern state of Manipur - it has won 35 seats and is leading in six seats for which counts are available. The state has 60 seats.
Congress is doing well in the north-eastern state of Manipur - it has won 22 seats and is leading in five seats for which counts are available. The state has 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.