PM congratulates people of UP for support in Assembly Polls

The coalition put together by BJP President Amit Shah, who crafted and conducted the election strategy in UP, was instrumental for the party’s return to power after 15 years in the state of over 200 million people. (Photo by Arun Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) REUTERS Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party (SP) President, waves to his supporters as he arrives for an election campaign rally in Jaunpur, India March 6, 2017. “It seems EVMs (electronic voting machines) did not accept votes polled for any party other than the BJP”, the BSP supremo said.

“Ek naye Hindustan ke darshan ho rahe hain mujhe”.

Nearly four in 10 voters backed Modi’s party, the election commission said, close to the party’s vote share in Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 general election when it won the biggest national majority in three decades. “The five states are the foundation of a new India”.

Experts said the results showed Modi had succeeded in tapping into popular anger over corruption with the move, which was aimed at tackling tax evasion but also led to widespread chaos in a country where most transactions are cash-based. “They are driven by mostly by the local considerations”, said Kamal Faruqui, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. “Most of the states are now being ruled by the BJP and its allies and far better level of development coordination is expected”, Jajodia said. The BJP led in 322 of the 403 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh and 57 of the 70 constituencies in neighboring Uttarakhand.

Striking a conciliatory note, he added, “This government is of those who have voted for it and also those who have not”.

It will also embolden him in addressing security concerns, most notably Pakistan, and burnish his standing on the world stage, particularly as India pushes for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. A new India where the poor don’t want anything by way of charity, but seek an opportunity to chart out their own course.

“Although the Narendra Modi government does not have any visible achievement in its last three years, still people voted for Modi”.

One obstacle crossed, the BJP has two challenges ahead. We are happy with our victory in other states. Another Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said Modi took a wrong idea, but was able to market it effectively.

“Atalji, Advaniji, Kushabhau Thakre and Jana Krishnamoorthy have done everything to spread the party ideology”.

More immediately, the shock loss in UP was a particularly brutal blow to Congress, the perennial rival of the BJP in national politics. “Political pundits should review how the party won with an overwhelming majority after a record turnout”. The next few months will be crucial in determining the direction Mr Modi will take in seeking to alter the country’s political arithmetic.

“The results clearly indicate they got support from a cross-section of voters”, said Professor Sanjay Kumar, director of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. Indeed, Modi’s demonetisation drive has paralleled Indira Gandhi’s “garibi hatao” and bank nationalisation drives in terms of achieving a “pro-poor” positioning for the PM, cutting across caste or sectional appeals.