UP Election 2022 Result Highlights: BJP clinches 250+ seats, set for 2nd term

The election campaign was clouded due to the third wave of coronavirus - driven by Omicron. The Election Commission had put restrictions in the state. 

Nearly two hours into the counting of votes, the BJP is already edging closer to the half-way mark in UP. 

BJP's Alka Singh leading in Sandila Assembly constituency, news agency ANI reports 

Kishan Dixit of the Samajwadi Party is ahead of the BJP's Neelkanth Tiwari at Varanasi South assembly cosntituency that the BJP has been winning since 1989. 

Akhilesh Yadav ally OP Rajbhar trailing in his Zahoorabad constituency

UP cabinet minister Sidharth Nath Singh is the BJP's candiate from the Allahabad West seat 

“Administration has taken stringent action against suspicious movements of EVMs but opposition parties are creating ruckus, they've already started blaming EVMs for their defeat in assembly elections,” UP minister Sidharth Nath Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

Alapur assembly segment of Ambedkarnagar for instance - has been electing lawmakers from ruling side since 2007

Kasganj assembly - that once elected former CM Kalyan Singh - has been bellwether of sorts

Hastinapur

Read the full story on these interesting constituencies here.

Some reports said that UP Congress chief Ajay Kumal Lallu is trailing in his constituency of Tamukhi Raj. 

In the 2017 polls, the BJP (plus allies) got 325 seats, while the Samajwadi Party won 54 seats. Mayawati's BSP got just 19 seats. 

Some reports said that the margin is narrowing between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party. 

“Counting has started with postal ballots while EVMs will be opened shortly, security forces are strictly monitoring the counting process along with local police and three tier security system,”  Gautam Budh Nagar DM Suhah LY was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

They sang and danced and kept a vigil on EVMs. “UP mein cycle hein aayegi (Cycle - the party symbol of SP - will come in Uttar Pradesh)," the song rent the air. Visuals of how Samajwadi Party workers began the countdown were shared by news agency ANI. Read the full story here.

> OBC leader Omprakash Rajbhar is contesting from Ghazipur's Zahoorabad

> Seasoned politician Raghuraj Pratap Singh contesting from Pratapgarh's Kunda

> UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu contesting from Tamukhi Raj

> Azam Khan, the current Rampur MP, of Samajwadi Party again contesting from the same constituency

Yogi Adityanath is contesting from Gorakhpur Urban, his stronghold

Akhilesh Yadav is contesting from Mainpuri's Karhal

Swami Prasad Maurya, backward caste leader, is SP candiate from Fazilnagar

Krishna Patel is another backward caste leader, and SP candidate from Apna-Dal-K

The Bharatiya Janata Party gained an early lead in Uttar Pradesh as officials started the counting of votes with postal ballots. According to reports, the BJP-led alliance and the Samajwadi Party-led coalition are in a tight race. The BJP-led alliance was leading on 20 seats and Samajwadi Party-led coalition on 18 seats

BJP won over 300 seats in 2017. This time exit polls suggest it will get less than 300. 

BJP gains edge in early leads 

In Prayagraj, 169 candidates are contesting from 12 assembly seats of the district.

For every assembly poll counting 14 tables have been put together, but this time seven tables on either side would be placed facing each other with a curtain in the middle, informed deputy district election officer Harsh Dev Pandey. (Full story here)

Counting of votes begins across 403 seats. 

"Counting agents of various parties are arriving at the counting centres. Postal ballots will be opened at 8am, followed by counting of votes recorded in EVMs. Counting process is expected to be complete by the evening. Sec 144 has been imposed in Varanasi Commissionerate area," Varanasi DM was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

“The Bharatiya Janata Party will form the government with majority. The people of UP have rejected Samajwadi Party,” UP minister Brajesh Pathak was quoted as saying by news agency ANI on Wednesday ahead of counting of votes. 

As the counting of votes begins at 8am at centres, a special focus will be given to Covid protocols.

With UP being a critical state, also sensitive, the Election Commission of India has implemented a “three-layered security” to combat any form of “rumour mongering, disinformation and breach of protocol” during counting of votes, officials said.

“Elaborate and foolproof arrangements have been made across the counting centres. All strong rooms, where polled EVMs are kept, are under three-layered security with inner cordon manned by central armed forces. Concerned candidates have been watching the strong room arrangements through CCTV coverage of 24x7,” EC secretary general Umesh Sinha said.

Counting of (postal) ballots will begin first and then counting of EVM votes will start at 8.30 am

403 observers - one for each constituency - have been deployed

Smoking is banned at counting centre premises

Read the full story here.