At UP BJP office, leaders go beyond exit polls, predict over 74 seats in state

Discussions over tea on exit polls and prospective post-election alliances were rife at the BJP headquarters here on Monday, as leaders predicted over 74 seats for the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh.

Though most exit polls Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they remained divided in their prediction for the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with some like ABP-Nielsen saying that the BJP's tally may fall to 22 from 71 while a few others like New 18-Ipsos and News 24-Chanakya tipping its tally over 60 seats.

Pointing to electoral maps of the state, detailing parliamentary and assembly constituencies, BJP leaders and functionaries from various districts indicated places from where SP-BSP alliance candidates would loose and claimed the "gathbandhan" will break after Lok Sabha results are announced.

 

"The BJP will accomplish its target of 74-plus seats in UP (which sends 80 members to Lok Sabha) and the SP-BSP alliance will perform very poorly," state BJP spokesperson Chandramohan said, a day after voting for the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections ended.

Results for the general elections will be declared on May 23

"Most of the exit polls have predicted a majority for the BJP-led NDA," said Chandramohan as his colleagues remained glued to panel discussions on news channels.

Some of the exit polls have projected that the BJP-led NDA will get over 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha.

Making light of a meeting between SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati, he said the alliance will crack on May 23.

"Their days are over as far as UP is concerned. They have indulged in casteist and dynastic politics and have pushed the state into backwardness," Chandramohan said.

Arranging documents and ready reckoners in his cubicle, BJP's state unit media in-charge Manish Dixit said the elections were fought on the name and works of Modi, and under the guidance of BJP chief Amit Shah and state party president Mahendra Nath Pandey.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recommending the sacking of SBSP leader Om Prakash Rajbhar from his cabinet was also a matter of discussion at the BJP office.

"Despite staying in alliance (NDA), Rajbhar continuously made statements against the BJP and the BJP-led UP government. He also opposed various policies of the state government," Dilip Srivastava, a corporator from Lucknow said.

Rajbhar has often been making controversial statements against the saffron party, the latest being during a Lok Sabha election campaign when he said that BJP members should be "thrashed" with shoes.

Outside the party office, there was a large banner featuring UP legislative assembly speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit.

Despite the mercury hovering around 40 degrees Celsius, there was a steady flow of party leaders at the BJP office, with some taking refuge from the blazing sun inside a temple and under trees at the party's headquarters in the heart of the state capital.