News Analysis India

Tag: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

  • Narendra Modi’s government is for billionaires, not farmers: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Varanasi

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday raised questions on the safety of the common man, referring to the recent violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

    Addressing her first outing as part of the Kisan Nyay rally, seen as the poll bugle, at Jagat Ram Inter College in Rohinia, Priyanka  claimed that nobody including the poor, deprived, downtrodden and women, was safe under the Modi government. She accused the prime minister of favouring his handful of billionaire friends.

    Priyanka began her Varanasi visit on a religious note. She first visited the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva, followed by a trip to Durgakund temple on the occasion of Navratri.

    Beginning her speech with shlokas, the UP in-charge of Congress claimed she was observing fast on the fourth Navratri day and said that the country was about faith. “Here, farmers feed citizens and their sons protect the country’s borders. But when some of them get killed in incidents like the one in Lakhimpuri Kheri, their families lose hope for justice.”

    Priyanka attacked the PM, saying that India was neither his nor his ministry’s property. “This country belongs to you all. If you are not aware, you will not be able to save your country and yourself.” She targeted Modi, saying that despite visiting Lucknow at around the same time, he did not find time to meet the aggrieved families. “The PM keeps on touring countries but he could not visit the bereaved families of Lakhimpur Kheri in their hour of grief.”

    Stating that her fight for justice would continue until Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni was suspended, the Congress leader said the junior home minister’s son (Ashish Mishra) had run over protesting farmers. “The chief minister is protecting him…What is this?”

    She criticised Modi for not talking to farmers on the contentious farm laws. “The farmers are protesting because they know their land will be snatched by the corporate friends of Modi if the laws are implemented,” Priyanka said.

    Exhorting people, especially farmers, to fight for their rights, the Congress general secretary said: “Those who call you andolankari (protesters) and terrorists, force them to give you justice. We are the workers of Congress. We are not scared of anyone. Put us in jail, beat us, but we will keep fighting for justice.”

  • Priyanka Gandhi invokes Goddess Durga, urges people to chant ‘Jai Mata Di’ at Varanasi rally

    By PTI

    VARANASI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday invoked Goddess Durga and urged the audience to chant ‘Jai Mata Di’ as she addressed a rally in Varanasi, one of the holiest cities of Hindus and the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “I am on fast and I will start my speech with the ‘stuti’ (prayer) of Maa,” she said at the public meeting held to express solidarity with farmers in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

    The Congress general secretary recited two shlokas in Sanskrit and urged the people to chant ‘Jai Mata Di’ with her to which the audience reciprocated.

    She also ended her speech with the salutation ‘Jai Mata Di’ and greeted the people on the festival of Navratri when Goddess Durga is worshipped.

    ALSO READ | Kolkata Durga Pujas themed on NRC, partition

    Priyanka Gandhi’s gesture is significant as the Congress has been projecting “Hinduism that is inclusive and secular” as a counter to the BJP’s Hindutva, which the opposition party has dubbed as a “political doctrine based on exclusion”.

    हमें शक्ति हमारे संघर्षों से मिलती है। भाजपा सरकार चाहे हमें जेल में डाले, चाहे जितनी रुकावट डाले, लेकिन हम किसानों, नौजवानों, दलितों, महिलाओं और गरीबों की आवाज दबने नहीं देंगे।मैं उप्र की जनता से आह्वान करती हूं कि न्याय की लड़ाई में हमारे साथ आएं।#KisanKoNyayDo pic.twitter.com/jhadWoRZsd
    — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) October 10, 2021
    As the public meeting started, Priyanka Gandhi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and other Congress leaders present on the dais chanted ‘Har har Mahadev’.

    It was followed by a reading of excerpts from the holy Koran and the Gurbani.

    “The Congress under the leadership of Priyankaji will comprehensively defeat the demon power which has unleashed itself in various parts of the state,” UP Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh said.

    Earlier, senior Congress leader and former Union minister Salman Khurshid, when asked as to how will the party counter the “BJP’s Hindutva”, said, “‘This is a Hindu majority nation.

    Uttar Pradesh is a Hindu majority state.

    You cannot honestly believe that the majority must not have a voice in deciding how the state is run.”

    “It will have a voice. But the majority’s voice cannot completely negate the minority. It cannot happen,” he said.

    The Congress leader also said that his party has a campaign on Hinduism.

    “Our Hinduism campaign is that Hinduism is inclusive, Hinduism is secular. And, therefore Hinduism wants to move hand in hand with other religions including Islam,” he told PTI.

    “They say that Hinduism is alone. We say that Hinduism is accompanied by other religions. I am confident that the state will decide in our favour,” Khurshid added.

  • Priyanka Gandhi Vadra corners PM Modi, UP CM Yogi over Lakhimpur killings

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Cornering Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath, referring to recent violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, Congress general secretary and party’s UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday raised questions on the safety of common man.

    While addressing her first public rally—Kisan Nyay rally– seen as the poll bugle, at Jagat Ram Inter College in Rohinia, Varanasi, Priyanka claimed that nobody including the poor, deprived, downtrodden the women, was safe under the Narendra Modi government. She accused the PM again of favouring his a handful of billionaire friends.

    Priyanka began her Varanasi visit on a religious note and embarked upon a temple spree. She first visited the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and sought blessings of Lord Shiva followed by the Durgakund temple on the occasion of Navratri.

    Beginning her speech with shlokas, the Congress leader claimed that she was observing fast on the fourth Navratri day and said that the country was about faith. “Here, farmers feed the citizens, and their sons protect the country’s borders. But when some of them get killed in incidents like the one that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri, their families lose hope for justice.”

    Priyanka attacked the PM saying that the country was neither his nor his ministers’ property. “This country belongs to you all. If you are not aware, you will not be able to save your own country and yourself. You (farmers) have made this country.”

    She targeted the Prime Minister saying that despite visiting Lucknow around the same time, he did not get time to meet the aggrieved families. “The PM keeps on touring the countries but he could not visit the bereaved families of Lakhimpur Kheri to console them in their hour of grief,” said Priyanka.

    Stating that her fight for justice would continue until Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni was suspended, the Congress leader said the junior home minister’s son (Ashish Mishra) had run over protesting farmers, but he was sent an invitation for interrogation. “The chief minister (Yogi Adityanath) is protecting him… What is this?”

    She attacked PM Modi for not holding talks with farmers protesting for months against the three contentious farm laws. “The farmers are protesting against the three laws because they know their land will be snatched by the corporate friend of Modi if three farm laws are implemented,” Vadra added.

    Exhorting people, especially the farmers, to fight for their rights, the Congress general secretary said, “those who call you andolankari (protesters) and terrorists, force them to give you justice. We are the workers of Congress. We are not scared of anyone. Put us in jail, beat us, but we will keep fighting for justice.”

    “If you want to bring a change, come with me, struggle together and change this government. I will not stop until I bring change here,” she added.

    Challenging the development plank of the ruling BJP, Priyanka asked the people if the development had reached their doorstep in the present dispensation. “Just ask yourself, how much have you grown in BJP rule. If not, then join us to change this government,” she said. She also cornered the government over rising fuel prices and other commodities.

  • Congress workers clean Dalit settlements, Valmiki temples against UP CM’s remark

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Congress leaders and workers on Saturday cleaned Dalit settlements and Valmiki temples across Uttar Pradesh against an alleged “casteist remark” by CM Yogi Adityanath.

    In a reply to a query over Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s act of sweeping the floor during her detention in Sitapur recently, Adityanath on Thursday had said people want them to be fit only for this and they reduced them to it (janata unko usi layak banana chahti, aur usi layak bana diya).

    In response to the chief minister’s remark, Gandhi had descended on a Dalit colony and cleaned the premises of a Maharshi Valmiki temple.

    Accusing the CM of making a “casteist remark”, she said he insulted the Dalits and announced that all district committees of the party will clean Valmiki temples on Saturday.

    A party release said taking exception to the chief minister’s indecent remark, the party decided to register its protest and on Saturday, Congressmen across the state took part in a “satyagraha” by cleaning Dalit settlements and Valmiki temples, where they also offered prayers.

    The party said Adityanath’s statement is anti-Dalit and anti-women.

    His mentality is plagued by arrogance and feudal narrow-mindedness, it alleged.

    Despite taking the oath of the Constitution and occupying a constitutional post, he is making frivolous remarks against the Dalits, the release said, adding that safaii karamcharis are hurt by it.

    UP Congress spokesperson Pankaj Tiwari said in Varanasi, where the party is holding a public meeting on Sunday, state unit president Ajay Kumar Lallu and former MP Rajesh Mishra cleaned Maharishi Valmiki’s statue and a park.

    They also honoured a member of the Dalit Swachhakar Samaj and said cleanliness is the mantra given by Mahatma Gandhi to walk the path of truth and non-violence.

    The release said the CM is crossing the limits of dignity by making remarks which will not be accepted by a civilised society.

  • Priyanka picks up broom in Dalit hamlet as Yogi says people have made Congress worth doing that only

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday made a surprise visit to a Dalit hamlet here and picked up a broom to clean it, reacting to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s dig at her act of sweeping of floor at a Sitapur guest house during her detention.

    In reply to a query over Gandhi’s act of mopping during her detention, Adityanath earlier during the day had said “the people wanted to make them (the Congress leaders) worth doing that and that is what they have made them”.

    “These people have no work except spreading nuisance and negativity,” he had said.

    The chief minister had made the remark earlier in the day during a programme at a private TV news channel.

    In response to the chief minister’s remark, Gandhi descended upon the Dalit colony and picked up the broom, saying it is a symbol of simplicity and self-respect.

    While mingling with the inhabitants at Luv Kush Nagar, the Congress general secretary cleaned the area, saying crores of women and sanitation workers in the country use brooms daily for cleaning, a Congress spokesman said.

    At the TV news channel programme, the chief minister had further said, “These people have nothing but a negative attitude. They were not seen during the corona times. “When people were suffering from the infection, it was the BJP workers and government which were with people amid a nil presence of these people,” he had added.

    “But now they have got up from their slumber and took up the Lakhimpur incident as an opportunity,” Adityanath said.

    “He has not humiliated me by saying so he has humiliated you all as crores of Dalit brothers and sisters are safai karamcharis and they do this work,” Priyanka told residents of Luv Kush Nagar, taking exception to the Chief Ministers comments.

    “I have come here for doing the cleaning work along with you all and let Yogi Ji know that cleaning and using a broom is a self-respecting task,” she said.

  • Govt giving message that those in power can do anything: Priyanka on Lakhimpur Kheri violence

    By PTI

    BAHRAICH: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who arrived here on Thursday to meet the families of two farmers killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, said by allowing Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra to continue on the post, the Centre is giving the message that those in power can do anything.

    The Union minister’s son, Ashish Kumar Mishra, and others have been booked in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that erupted during a farmers’ protest on Sunday.

    “If the minister of state for home does not resign nor is he sacked, then it means that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is giving a message to the public that if someone is in power, if he is a minister, he can do anything,” Gandhi told reporters in Moharnia, where she met the family members of Gurvinder Singh, one of the four farmers killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

    “The message that is coming out of it is that if someone is in power, is a minister or a BJP leader, he can do anything. There is no justice for the common people, the poor, farmers, Dalits and women. I want to tell Narendra Modiji that this is the message that he is giving to people,” she said.

    On her meetings with the bereaved families since Wednesday, when the Uttar Pradesh government released her from detention and allowed her to go to Lakhimpur and Bahraich , the Congress general secretary said, “We have met the families of all the deceased farmers. Everyone says they are not bothered about the compensation, they are only concerned about the dismissal of the minister of state for home and the arrest of the criminals.”

    She also said the families of the victims have some video clips of Sunday’s incident that show what transpired that day.

    “The family members have said that they want justice,” she stressed.

    Gandhi’s convoy of vehicles was stopped by the district administration near the Ghaghra Ghat bridge as soon as it entered Bahraich from Barabanki as section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was in force and the Congress workers accompanying her raised slogans against the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh in protest.

    The magistrate and the police officers present on the spot subsequently allowed only Congress leaders Naseemuddin Siddiqui and Tanuj Punia, who had come with Gandhi, to proceed along with her to meet the families of the deceased farmers.

    The Congress general secretary, who has met the family members of five of the eight people killed in Sunday’s violence, said she also wanted to meet the kin of the BJP workers who lost their lives.

    “I had asked the IG to enquire if they (the BJP workers’ families) were ready for the same but was outrightly told that they do not want to meet me. I asked for conveying my sympathy to them,” she added.

    On her way to Bahraich, Gandhi also performed a “puja” at a temple in the Arjunganj area of Lucknow.

  • Sitting SC, HC judge should probe Lakhimpur violence, not one who is retired: Priyanka Gandhi

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or a high court into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and said Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, whose son is among those booked, should resign to ensure an impartial probe.

    Priyanka Gandhi, who had on Wednesday met the families of three of the eight people killed in the violence, told reporters here, “In my view and that of the victims’ families as well, the case should be probed by a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge, and not the retired judge.”

    The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a one-member commission of retired high court judge Pradeep Kumar Srivastava to probe the violence during a farmers’ protest rally that claimed eight lives on Sunday.

    ALSO READ | Lakhimpur violence: SC asks Yogi government to explain whether accused have been arrested

    Before leaving for Bahraich, Priyanka Gandhi said, “I don’t want to comment on the probe as it has not started yet. But I can say that for unbiased probe, the minister should resign as he has the Home portfolio and all this comes under him.”

    The Congress leader said the families of the victims she had met told her that they were not interested in the compensation announced by the government, but “want justice”.

    The minister should be “sacked” and those involved in the act should be arrested.

    “All the police force was deployed to stop us and it surrounded victims’ families so that no one could reach there to meet them. But you (government) did not deploy your force to arrest the criminal. Where was the police on the day the incident took place. Is police only to stop leaders,” she said.

    ​VIEW GALLERY | ‘Fascism’, ‘Jallianwala Bagh’, ‘Hitler’: Lakhimpur Kheri farmers’ killing leads to strong reactions by Opposition leaders

    She alleged that the copies of post-mortems given to the families of the dead were illegible.

    “I will continue my fight till the minister is sacked and his son is arrested. I have pledged this before the families,” she said.

    The Uttar Pradesh Police has lodged a case against the minister’s son Ashish Mishra in connection with the violence, but no arrest has been made yet.

    Four of the dead were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to an event in the area.

    The other four were two BJP workers, a driver of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, and Raman Kashyap, a journalist working for a private TV channel.

    While the first three were allegedly lynched by the agitating farmers, the scribe, according to his father, died after being hit by a vehicle when he was covering news of farmers’ protest against Maurya’s visit to Ajay Kumar Mishra’s native place.

  • Rahul, Priyanka lead Congress’ 8-member delegation to Lakhimpur

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The politics intensified further over Lakhimpur Kheri violence, on Wednesday, as the 8-member Congress delegation, led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, met the families of deceased farmers in the trouble torn district. Earlier, the state government allowed the Congress delegation and other political parties to send their five member teams to Lakhimpur Kheri .

    The 8-member Congress delegation, which went to Lakhimpur comprised of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Randeep Surjewala, KC Venugopal and Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh and Punjab –Bhupesh Baghel and Charanjeet Singh Channi  and Deependar Hooda.

    Earlier, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was released from PAC guest house in Sitapur.

    Rahul Gandhi accompanied by his aides reached Lucknow in the afternoon. He staged a protest at the Lucknow airport after reaching the state capital for a brief period against the district administration which was asking him to take government vehicle to Lakhimpur Kheri but Rahul Gandhi was adamant at taking his own vehicle.

    न्याय की ओर बढ़ते इन कदमों को कोई सलाखें या तानाशाही हुकूमत नहीं रोक सकती।श्री @RahulGandhi और श्रीमती @priyankagandhi के ये बढ़ते कदम यूपी की जनता के लिए न्याय का मार्ग तय करेंगे।#NyayHokarRahega pic.twitter.com/1Z0H5CuszF
    — Congress (@INCIndia) October 6, 2021
    Both Chhattisgarh and Punjab CMs announced a financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh to the four farmers who were killed in the Sunday violence. However, later in day, Rahul Gandhi left for Sitapur i his own vehicle and met Priyanka to proceed together to Lakhimpur.

    Earlier, before leaving for Lucknow, Rahul Gandhi interacted with media persons and alleged the BJP government was carrying out ‘systematic attacks’ on the farmers in the country. “Almost all institutions have got in the command of the BJP and the RSS. Those, who speak against injustice, are jailed and those, who commit crimes go free”, alleged Rahul Gandhi.

    He launched a broad side on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that despite being in Lucknow on Tuesday, the PM could not go to Lakhimpur, which is in shock after the ruthless killing of farmers and others on Sunday.  

    “Criminals can do whatever they want in Uttar Pradesh. Those, who kill are out of jail, while those who die or suffered with injustice or crimes are in jail,” said Rahul.

    Later in the day, two Congress leaders Sachin pilot and Pramod Krishnan were taken into custody when they proceeded separately to Lakhimpur  Kheri. Meanwhile, Aam Admi Party  (AAP) RS MP Sanjay Singh went to Lakhimpur and met the families of the deceased farmers. He made the victim families talk to Delhi CM and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal who assured the grieving families all help.

  • Lakhimpur violence: Priyanka Gandhi arrested, Baghel stopped from leaving Lucknow airport

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: After being kept in custody at PAC guest house for more than a day, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and 10 other Congressmen were arrested officially by Sitapur police under various sections of CrPC on Tuesday.

    According to police sources, the arrests of the Congress leaders were made to “prevent the commission of cognizable offences”.

    Notably, Priyanka was stopped and taken into preventive custody on early Monday morning at Sitapur while she was on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri where violence broke out between the farmers and the BJP workers had claimed 8 lives, including four farmers, on Sunday.

    Besides Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, those arrested included Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, UP Congress state president Ajay Kumar Lallu and party MLC Deepak Singh, Sandeep, Rajkumar, Narendra Shekhawat, Yogendra, Harikant, Dhiraj Gurjar, and Amit. The arrests were made under Sections 107, 116 and 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences) of the CrPC.

    As per the sources, now the Congress leaders could be released on personal bonds. For now, they are being kept at PAC guest house as a temporary jail.

    According to Hargaon station house officer (SHO) Brijesh Kumar Tripathi, 11 persons were arrested. “On Monday around 4.30 am, Priyanka ji was stopped while on her way to Lakhimpur. We stopped her as the situation was not fine there and Section 144 of CrPC was in place,” said Tripathi, adding that the Congress general secretary did not listen to the cops and in proper security presence, she was taken to a local guest house. “Further course of action will be decided by the senior officials,” said Tripathi.

    However, the sources claimed that Priyanka may not necessarily be presented in the court for release. There were certain CrPC sections under which the hearing could be done by the magistrate at any place if there is a need.

    ALSO READ | Lakhimpur violence: Political fallout may impact BJP’s fortunes in Terai in 2022

    Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who finally reached Lucknow airport on Tuesday to show solidarity with the four farmers killed in Sunday’s violence, was not allowed to leave the airport and sat on the floor in protest, questioning the rationale behind the denial of permission.

    In a video tweeted by Baghel, he can be seen asking the police officials why he was being stopped from leaving the airport when he had no intention of visiting Lakhimpur Kheri.

    Baghel had on Monday slammed the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government for not allowing him to land at the Lucknow airport, and asked whether civil rights have been abolished in the northern state.

    “When Section 144 (of CrPC) is in force in Lakhimpur, then why landing at Lucknow is not being allowed,” he asked. “Have the civil rights been abolished in Uttar Prad esh? Is a separate visa is required for going to UP? Why are people being stopped? It is very unfortunate as it is a question of civil rights. Can’t people go to express their condolences and to take stock of the incident? If they (BJP government) are stopping, then what is their mindset?” he further asked.

    The way farmers were mowed down (in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday), it shows their (UP BJP government’s) mentality that those who will raise voice against them will be crushed and trampled, he claimed. “This mentality is very dangerous and the whole country is agitated and everyone wants to go to Lakhimpur,” he said. “The incident has “exposed the real face of the BJP”.

    Baghel said, “BJP was elected to power over the issue of law and order and now the entire country is watching how the law and order was violated there. There is nothing left in control of Yogi Adityanath, and his own people are doing such things.”

  • 2022 UP polls: Priyanka to spend 5 days a week in state to see ground reality

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Working day in and day out to revive Congress in UP ahead of 2022 electoral battle, Congress general Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra seems to be ready with her master plan. As per the plan, she would now spare five days a week to the party in the state and spend only the weekend in Delhi.

    Priyanka has reportedly prepared an elaborated plan to tour the state and stay in different districts to get the pulse on the ground.

    As per the highly-placed Congress sources, Priyanka will sound her party’s poll bugle from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi on October 10. She would also supervise Congress’s ambitious Pratigya Yatra which would take off on October 17. During the Yatra, to take off from four different places in the state, the Congressmen would reach out to the common man to expose the alleged failures of the BJP government in the state.

    The Yatra is likely to culminate into a big rally in Lucknow drawing senior Congress leaders including Priyanka in November.

    However, reviewing the party’s poll preparedness on the third day of her current 5-day visit to UP on Thursday, the Congress general secretary participated in a meeting of the newly constituted screening committee for finalising party tickets.

    ALSO READ | 2022 UP elections: BJP to deny tickets to 150 aspirants; MLAs, poll losers in the list

    It is chaired by Congress general secretary Jitendra Singh, while party MP Deepender Singh Hooda and Maharashtra Cabinet minister Varsha Gaikwad also joined it as members on Thursday.

    The Congress is still collecting applications from those who wish to contest the polls and has sought suggestions from various units of the party, including the district committees. These suggestions were taken up in the meeting.

    Priyanka, who is chairing meetings with the state leadership, is an ex-officio member of the committee along with state Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu, Congress Legislative Party leader Aradhna Mishra, and the party secretaries in charge of the state.

    After the meeting at Kaul house in Lucknow, Priyanka met the members of the Nishad community and heard their grievances in detail at Congress headquarters. She also held a dialogue with the party’s social media handlers.

    In the last assembly elections in 2017, Congress had fought in alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and had won just seven seats with a vote share of 6.5%. However, SP had declined from 229 to 47, and BSP to just 19 from 80 seats. The BJP had romped home with a huge majority winning 312 of 403 seats.