BackAssembly elections 2022 results: Key highlights
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has scored big in the assembly elections, winning four out of five states with a comfortable majority except goa and Aam Aadmi Party sweeped Punjab
PremiumBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has scored big in the assembly elections, winning four out of five states with a comfortable majority except goa and Aam Aadmi Party sweeped Punjab. The Congress party's dismal run in elections over the past few years continued as it lost all the five states.
Here are 10 key highlights from today's election results
AAP sweeps Punjab
One of the biggest takeaway from today's election results is the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) storming into power in Punjab, winning 89 seats and leading in 3, according to the poll results declared by the Election Commission so far. In the 117-member Assembly, a party needs to get 59 seats to form the government. While the SAD won two seats and was leading in one, it's ally BSP won one, and the BJP won two seats and one seat went to an Independent candidate. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal hailed the party's performance in Punjab as a "revolution". The AAP tsunami made several stalwarts, including three former chief ministers, bite the dust.
Big win for BJP in Uttar Pradesh
With results of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls pouring in, the BJP has won on 16 seats and is leading on 236, while its rival Samajwadi Party is leading on 115 seats. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) and the NISHAD party, both BJP allies, are leading on 11 seats and seven seats respectively, according to EC website. The Rashtriya Lok Dal, which contested the polls along with the Samajwadi Party (SP), is leading on eight seats. The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party is leading on five seats. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has established a lead of over 55,000 votes over his nearest rival Subhawati Shukla of the SP in the Gorakhpur Urban constituency. Adityanath said that this victory shows that people have once again voted for nationalism and good governance. He further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP will be forming governments in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, and Uttarakhand.
BJP retains Uttarakhand and Goa too
That the BJP is tipped to gain a strong majority in Uttarakhand and retain power in Goa despite its state governments facing perceived anti-incumbency, only validates the long-held criticism, political watchers believe, that the Congress has become too weak to put up a strong fight against the saffron party where it is the main challenger. Political strategist Prashant Kishor has consistently cited the Congress' abysmal scorecard against the BJP in Lok Sabha and state polls to suggest a case for regional satraps to take lead in putting up a united front against the ruling party.
BJP on firm wicket for Presidential election
The BJP's victory in the assembly polls on Thursday has put the party on a stronger wicket for the election for the post of President expected later this year. The big victory for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh has given Prime Minister Narendra Modi a free hand to decide on the successor to President Ram Nath Kovind, who will complete his tenure on July 24, 2022, political analysts said. Had the Uttar Pradesh election results gone in favour of the Samajwadi Party, the BJP would have had to rely on the support of fence-sitters such as Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) who together control a sizeable chunk of votes.
Not a good day for current and past CMs
The poll results brought gloom for several political heavyweights, including two current and five former chief ministers, who lost the electoral battle from their respective seats. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami lost the polls from the seats they held respectively. A similar fate awaited former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Singh Rawat and former Punjab chief ministers Parkash Singh Badal and Amarinder Singh.
Dismal Congress show
The election results came as another jolt to Congress which could not retain Punjab or come to power in Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur where it was the main rival of the BJP. The party has decided to convene a Congress Working Committee meeting soon to introspect the results, said Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala. "The results of 5 states have come against the expectations of the Congress party but we accept that we failed to get the blessings of the people. Sonia Gandhi has decided to convene Congress Working Committee meeting soon to introspect the results," Surjewala said addressing a press conference in Delhi.
BJP retains Manipur
The ruling BJP coalition looked set to return to power in the insurgency-hit state of Manipur, as it bagged 16 seats and was leading in 13 other constituencies, as per the latest ECI data. Chief Minister N Biren Singh defeated his nearest Congress rival P Saratchandra Singh by 18,271 votes in Heingang seat. The BJP secured 37.5% votes counted so far, while the Congress stood second with 16.53% votes and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma's National People's Party (NPP) came third with 16.48% votes.
TMC asks Congress to merge with it; Congress hits back
TMC asked Congress to merge with it and fight against BJP under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee after its rout in the assembly poll in five states where votes were counted on Thursday. This drew a sharp retort from the grand old party which accused it of being an "agent of BJP". Asked to comment on the party's poor show in Goa, TMC leaders said the party is satisfied with the votes it secured given the fact that the party had opened its unit in the coastal state a few months ago. BJP is racing to a second straight win in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh and is dominating the score chart in Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur, while the Aam Aadmi Party won a landslide victory in Punjab and wrested the state from the Congress, diminishing the party even further.
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