Celebrations broke out in the state capital and in other places, including Ayodhya and Varanasi, by jubilant Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers as it became increasingly evident that the party was going to form government.
The saffron party’s Uttar Pradesh (UP) headquarters in the heart of Lucknow witnessed quintessential Holi scenes, with big guns, including Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath and his Deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya, smeared in the colours of the festival and beaming before a frenzied crowd of supporters.
A few leaders, such as Cabinet Minister Satish Mahana, broke into an impromptu jig on the dais.