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Uttar Pradesh Polls

Thrashing defeat for Mayawati

Mulayam set to be chief minister; Rahul takes responsibility for debacle

Times of India, Lucknow
Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party swept to power jolting Congress party and BJP in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the results of which are a setback to Rahul Gandhi, who acknowledged the "defeat".
SP dethroned Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati by getting an absolute majority by
comfortably crossing the required 202-mark in the 403 member
House. The SP has won 224 seats.
Mayawati was relegated to the second position ending up close to 80 seats.
Indian ruling Congress suffered a heavy blow as it failed to improve strength in the politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh and regain governance in Punjab. The party also lost power in Goa, our New Delhi corre-spondent Pa 11 ab Bhattacharya adds.
The only relief for Congress is its emphatic victory in northeastern state of Manipur where it retained power for the third consecutive term.
The Congress, which was hoping to do well after Rahul Gandhi's extensive campaigning in 207 constituencies, improved its previous tally of 22 seats by winning 26 seats and was leading in another two.
The BJP, which had 51 seats, has won 47.
The polls were a mid-term popularity test for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government ahead of 2014 parliamentary elections and a first real appraisal of Rahul Gandhi viewed by many as the future Prime Minister of India.
"I stood in front, so it is my responsibility," 41-year-old Rahul told reporters as he conceded defeat. "All of us in the Congress party fought. We fought well but the result which came was not so good."
Rahul, the scion of Nehru-Gandhi family, had led the party's charge in Uttar Pradesh in a bid to revive Congress in what constituted his biggest challenge yet in a state where it has been out of powerfor22years.
The SP has crossed the half-way mark in the 2012 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and looks all set to form the next government in the state.
Earlier in the day, state unit president Akhilesh Yadav said party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav will be the chief minister.
Akhilesh said the party's Parliamentary Board will meet tomorrow to decide on issues like staking claim before Governor BL Joshi to form the next government. "I have answered this question several times.... We all want netaji (Mulayam) as the chief
minister," Akhilesh said seeking to put a lid on speculation that he would be the next chief minister of the state.
Replying to questions on the possibility of SP seeking support of independent MLAs, the party's state unit chief said his party will not takesupport of "mafia".
On possibility of removing statues of elephants (BSP's election symbol) as also of outgoing chief minister Mayawati, he said SP has already made it clear that the statues would not be removed.
SP state president and star campaigner for the party Akhilesh Yadav said that after formation of the government, the first priority of the SP would be to provide relief to the farmers through loan waivers and improvement in powersupply.
He said the BSP got five years to develop the state but it squandered money on parks and stones. However, he also said that SP will not touch dalit memorials built by Mayawati. "They will be safe."
What seems to have gone in favour of SP is its image makeover by Akhilesh. Previous SP rule in 2003-07 was known for poor law and order but Akhilesh promised to change the order this time. While Mulayam worked to get back Muslims who were angry after he shook hands with Kalyan Singh in 2009, Akhilesh worked to woo different castes and communities. He was also able to attract youth.
The BSP is expected to remain second despite a loss of over 100 seats in comparison to the 206 it got in 2007.
Congress and BJP are likely to improve but are fighting for third and fourth place.
Congress's ally RLD is also expected to increase its number, according to Times of India.
SP seems to be getting support across the state and all castes and communities, while BSP has suffered losses everywhere but seems to have retained its Dalit base.
However, Mayawati's social engineering failed as Brahmins and Muslims do not seem to have vote for BSP in large number as they did in 2007. Congress and BJP seem to have has excelled in some pockets ofUP
While celebrations have begun in SP head quarters in Lucknow, an eerie silence prevailed in BSP head office and gates were closed for visitors. Disappointment was palpable in Congress office, whereas BJP camp was hopeful of getting more than 100 seats, double of what it got in 2007.
Reacting to result trends, SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said that people have voted against five years of misrule in UP He said SP is gaining because it took up public cause for five years while sittingin opposition.
UP Congress President Rita Bahugana Joshi said that though her party does not seems to be doing well, it would improve its tally. She said there is a strong antiincumbency wave against Mayawati regime.
Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said that Rahul Gandhi created a favourable atmosphere for the party through his work and campaign in UP But, he said, party could not convert it into seats because of absence of party cadre at the ground level. He claimed that in any case Congress would emerge as key player in UP
BJP national vice president and candidate from Lucknow East Kalraj Mishra said that party would do better than 2007. He admitted that induction of sacked BSP minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, who is prime accused in NRHM scam and has been arrested by CBI, damaged BJP's prospect upto some extent in UP
The BJP has received a strong drubbing in Lucknow, which used to be its stronghold for long. The party has lost in Lucknow constituency for the first time since 1991. This was the first elections in which former prime minister Atal BihariVajpayee was not in the picture. And this resulted in crushing defeat for the party.
The BJP also lost in the rural areas of Lucknow. It was in a miserable state at the start of election but entry of fire brand Hindutava leader Uma Bharti galvanised cadre and brought party back in contest.
BJP was also able to polarise votes on communal lines at few places on the issue of Muslim quota.