Samajwadi Party Leads INDIA Bloc in a Turnaround Election Results in UP

The Samajwadi Party (SP) is spearheading the INDIA opposition alliance’s efforts in Uttar Pradesh, a crucial state with the highest number of Lok Sabha seats, totaling 80.

Record-Breaking Performance for SP

As of 9:30 pm, the Samajwadi Party had secured 29 seats and was leading in eight more, marking a potential total of 37 seats. This result would be their best-ever performance in a UP Lok Sabha election, surpassing their previous high of 36 seats in 2004 under the Congress-led UPA.

Akhilesh Yadav and Family Stronghold

Akhilesh Yadav has effectively declared victory in Kannauj, leading by 1.7 lakh votes against BJP’s Subrat Pathak as of 9 pm. His wife, Dimple Yadav, also secured a win in Mainpuri.

BJP’s Standings

The BJP had won 28 seats and was leading in five others. Its ally, Apna Dal (Sonelal), secured one seat, and the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) also won one. Notable BJP victories included Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and Karan Bhushan Singh from Kaiserganj.

Comparative Performance

In the previous Lok Sabha election, the BJP won 62 out of 80 seats in UP, with Apna Dal (Sonelal) adding two more. The Samajwadi Party only managed five seats, consistent with their performance in the 2014 election, down from 23 in 2009.

Congress Results

The Congress won six seats, including the strongholds of Amethi and Raebareli. In Amethi, Kishori Lal and Rahul Gandhi defeated BJP’s Smriti Irani and BSP’s Thakur Prasad Yadav, with the Congress winning by nearly 1.7 lakh votes. Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest from Raebareli, resulting in a record victory over BJP’s Dinesh Singh by 3.9 lakh votes, was significant.

SP’s Rise in UP

The SP’s success today builds on their performance in the 2022 Assembly election, where they were the closest rival to the BJP, winning 111 seats compared to the BJP’s 255. This marked a 64-seat increase from five years earlier, largely driven by the farmers’ protests against the BJP’s policies.

Exit Poll Predictions

Uttar Pradesh emerged as a surprise in this election. Exit polls had predicted a dominant showing for the BJP and its NDA allies, forecasting 68 seats for them and only 12 for the INDIA alliance. However, TV5 Telugu’s exit poll stood out by predicting a narrow majority for the opposition with 43 seats.

INDIA Bloc’s Strategy

The Samajwadi Party is contesting as part of the Congress-led INDIA opposition bloc, formed in June last year to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. The SP fielded 63 candidates, while the Congress fielded 17. This seat-sharing agreement was notable as the first successful collaboration within the INDIA bloc, following unsuccessful negotiations in other states and a breakdown in talks between Congress and Trinamool in Bengal.