From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday retained power in the most vital state of Uttar Pradesh, though with lesser margin than last time, as also in Uttarakhand (UK)and Manipur, but it were one seat short of a clear majority in the 40-member Goa Assembly to continue in power. It, however, had a dismal performance in Punjab winning just two seats in the wake of the AAP wave in the state.
The only challenger to the BJP in Uttar Pradesh was the Samajwadi Party (SP) of former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav scoring 120 seats, including 8 by its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal while the magic of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not work as her party appeared ending up with lesser seats in the House.
The Congress,which was declared winning the first seat in Goa, was far from 19 seats bagged by the BJP and as such not in a position to stake claim to form the government but its leaders may rope in the winners of all other parties to score over the BJP. They were holding talks with the Trinamul Congress, but the latter is nowhere among those winning or leading.
The BJP leadership, however, asked the state leaders to rush to the Governor to stake claim to form the government and not give any chance to the Congress and others gang up to show the numbers. The state leaders assured to rope in the small parties to increase the party’s strength.
In Uttarakhand, the BJP has bagged 46 of the 70 seats in the Assembly to continue in power, with the rival Congress far away with 20 seats to create any trouble. The BJP is also set to retain power in Manipur as it crossed the half-way mark of 30 seats in the 60-member Assembly, with the party leaders in Delhi indicating to repeat Chief Minister N Biren Singh to be in power.
