LUCKNOW: Contrary to the perception that minor changes in vote shares translate into a significant shift in seats, the BJP managed to increase its vote share from 39. 67 per cent to 41.5 per cent even as its tally came down by 50 seats.
Similarly, the Samajwadi Party saw a surge of 10 per cent in its vote share but it failed to convert the gain in electoral victory.
The much talked about backlash from the farming community in western Uttar Pradesh remained only in paper. The BJP also made impressive gains in Bundelkhand and managed to hold major chunk of seats in central and eastern UP. It, however, lost some of the seats in Bareilly and Varanasi divisions.
As compared to 2017, the BJP saw a drop in number of seats by 19 in western UP but managed to hold driver’s seat with a rise in vote share thereby retaining 90 of the 136 constituencies with total 47.2 % vote share. However, the biggest gain was for RLD, who was struggling for survival in Jat stronghold, won nine seats with a 6.6% increase in vote share to end at 12%.
The biggest loser in West UP was BSP whose vote share tanked by 8.5 % to settle at 13.9 %. Agra and Hathras, the Dalit belt supported the BJP.
In Bundelkhand, BJP’s efforts to bring tap water in every household, establishing defence corridor and linking the drought-prone region with expressway managed to earn 41.3 % vote share.
It retained 14 seats but lost three seats including two to the SP where the latter gained 13.2 % vote share —in total 29.3 %. In 2017, BJP had swept the Bundelkhand region winning all the 19 seats.
In central UP, the biggest surprise came from Lakhimpur Kheri, where BJP won seven seats out eight seats.
The district had hit the headlines after Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish was accused of mowing down farmers.
The BJP won 82 seats maintaining its previous vote share of 40.3% which comprises 20 districts but lost 15 seats which went in the kitty of the SP. Overall, the SP won 35 seats with 37 % vote share.
However, the BJP suffered major reverse in the stronghold of deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya who lost his own seat in Sirathu. Other two seats —Manjhanpur (SC) and Chail — also slipped out of BJP kitty.
BJP ally Apna Dal (Soneylal) won 12 seats including the reserved seat of Bachhrawan in Rae Bareli district but Rampur Khas was won by the Congress’ Aradhana Mishra alias Mona. From Rae Bareli seat, Aditi Singh — the turncoat from Congress — won on a BJP seat.
Meanwhile, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya continued to dominate on Kunda which he has been winning since 1993. His party Jansatta Dal Loktantrik also won Babaganj.
As one proceeds to eastern region, in north east, SP dominated in Azamgarh district which helped it to lead on 22 seats with 32 % vote share.
The opposition party gained 14 seats as compared to 2017, while BJP retained 51 seats with increase in vote share by 3.4%.