AAP sweeps Punjab, BJP crosses half way mark in UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur; is single largest in Goa
Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, March 10
Aam Aadmi Party has swept Punjab and the ruling BJP is all set to defend its governments in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur having crossed the half way mark either on its own or with allies.
The Election Commission trends at 11 AM place the AAP firmly in the saddle in Punjab, where stalwarts including former CMs Parkash Singh Badal and Amarinder Singh are trailing and many others look set to bite the dust.
In Uttar Pradesh the BJP is going to script history by crossing the 202 simple majority mark in a house of 403 and repeating the Government for the first time since 1991.
The BJP also appeared geared for cross the half way mark in Uttarakhand earning 44 leads out of 63 declared by the EC and inching closer to the majority mark of 59 in the assembly of 70 members.
The Congress under Harish Rawat has got only 15 leads in Uttarakhand.
In Goa, the BJP has emerged the single largest with 18 leads out of 40 while Congress is at 12. MGP has taken lead in five seats and could ally with BJP to form the government with BJP in charge of the state Devendra Fadnavis describing MGP as a natural partner.
In Manipur the BJP has 15 leads out of 37 declared by EC. It’s allies NPP and NPF have five leads each placing BJP in a comfortable government formation position.
PM Narendra Modi’s remarks that there is pro incumbency for BJP in four states has come true with the Congress emerging the top loser in the election cycle losing Punjab and failing to make a mark either in Uttarakhand or Goa and Manipur.
This would be the first time when Uttarakhand Will re-elect an incumbent.
UP is a major win for BJP, which trumped SP-RLD’s caste polarisation and the consequences of farmers’ agitation in western UP to defend its term.
Voting trends in UP show women and government programme beneficiaries, the silent voters, backed BJP.
The BJP victory in UP place Adityanath in pole position catapulting him ahead of all BJP CMs and placing him a clear frontrunner in the race for PM Modi’s successor in the party.
