LUCKNOW: The BJP deserters seem to have mixed fortune with the saffron brigade taking early leads in the initial trends of Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll results. While Swami Prasad Maurya, contesting on SP ticket from his Fazilnagar seat in Kushinagar district of eastern UP, is trailing behind while Dhara Singh Saini, another BJP turncoat in the fray from Nakur seat in Saharanpur in the west is also trailing his rival Mukesh Chaudhury of the BJP.
The third bigwig who had switched sides from BJP to SP along with Maurya, Dara Singh Chauhan is also trailing in Ghosi where he is contesting on SP ticket.
However, many of the BJP turncoats in the fray on SP tickets have also taken a lead in their respective constituencies. Madhuri Verma, who had switched over to SP has taken a lead over her BJP rival in Nanpara of Bahraich. Similarly, Roshan Lal Verma has also taken a lead in Tilahar seat in Shajahanpur.
Moreover, the initial trends of western UP which was believed to have the maximum impact of prolonging farmers’ protest, show BJP taking an early lead over 41 seats of the 66 trends received so far. SP and RLD alliance is leading on 10 seats.
It may be recalled that this region is Jat-dominated and RLD chief Jayant Chaudhury is believed to have a stronghold in the Jat constituency. Similarly, on 35 seats falling in the religious belt of Ayodhya, Mathura and Chitrakoot, BJP has taken lead a dozen seats with SP leading on 4. On the 134 seats where Dalits have dominance, the trends on 80 seats show BJP having taken a lead on 57 and SP on 22.