New Delhi: The INDIA alliance has made significant strides in several politically crucial Hindi
heartland states as the latest trends in the vote count on Tuesday show them leading in
numerous constituencies. This resurgence is evident in states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Bihar, Haryana, and Jharkhand.
However, despite this notable performance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP-led alliance is
poised to retain power for a third consecutive term, albeit not with the overwhelming majority
that many exit polls had predicted.
Uttar Pradesh: A Surprise Turn of Events
The most unexpected development has been in Uttar Pradesh, a state with substantial political
weight. The Samajwadi Party is leading in 35 seats and Congress in seven, indicating a
significant shift. In contrast, the BJP is ahead in 34 seats, with its allies Rashtriya Lok Dal, Apna
Dal, and Aazad Samaj Party leading in two, one, and one constituencies, respectively.
This performance is particularly surprising given the BJP’s previous dominance in the state,
where it won 71 seats in 2014 and 62 seats in 2019. In the last election, the Samajwadi Party
secured five seats, Congress one, and the Bahujan Samaj Party ten.
Other States Show Mixed Results
In Rajasthan, the INDIA alliance has also made headway. The BJP leads in 14 seats, while
Congress is ahead in eight. Smaller parties like CPI, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, and Bharat
Adivasi Party each lead in one seat. This contrasts with the BJP’s clean sweep of all 25 seats in
2019.
Bihar has seen the Rashtriya Janata Dal leading in four seats, Congress in two, and CPI in two.
The NDA, however, still leads with 31 seats, with BJP ahead in 12, JD(U) in 14, and Lok
Janshakti Party in five. In 2019, the NDA won 39 out of 40 seats, with BJP securing 17, JD(U)
16, and Lok Janshakti Party six.
In Haryana, both Congress and BJP are leading in five seats each, a stark change from the
BJP’s clean sweep of all 10 seats in 2019.
Jharkhand has seen the INDIA alliance’s Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ahead in three
and two seats, respectively. The BJP leads in eight seats, with its ally AJSU Party ahead in one.
In the previous election, the BJP won 11 seats and AJSU one, while the JMM and Congress
won one seat each.
Continued Dominance in Some States
Despite these gains, the NDA continues to dominate in Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh. The BJP is leading in all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, all
four seats in Himachal Pradesh, all seven seats in Delhi, and all five seats in Uttarakhand. In
Chhattisgarh, the BJP leads in 10 seats, with Congress ahead in one.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP won 28 seats in Madhya Pradesh, all four in Himachal Pradesh,
all five in Uttarakhand, all seven in Delhi, and nine out of 11 seats in Chhattisgarh. Congress
won two seats in Chhattisgarh in 2019.
Implications for the Future
The resurgence of the INDIA alliance in the Hindi heartland states, which collectively hold 225
Lok Sabha seats, underscores a significant shift in the political landscape. While the BJP-led
NDA is set to form the government again, the opposition’s performance suggests a more
competitive political environment moving forward.
As the dust settles, the focus will now shift to how these results impact policy-making and
governance, both at the state and national levels.
