UP Elections: Akhilesh Thanks People of State for Doubling SP's Tally, Reducing BJP Seats

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday thanked the people of Uttar Pradesh for increasing its tally by two-and-half times and said his party has shown that the BJP's seats could be reduced.

Congratulating all the MLAs of the SP-led alliance, Yadav asked them to discharge their responsibilities sincerely.

“Heartiest thanks to the people of Uttar Pradesh for increasing our seats two-and-half times. We have shown that the seats of the BJP could be reduced. The reduction (in the number of seats) of the BJP will continue. More than half the confusion and deceit ('chalava') has been cleared. The rest will be cleared in some days. The struggle will continue in public interest,” Yadav wrote in his first tweet in Hindi.

In his message to the new MLAs of the SP-led alliance, he wrote, “Heartiest congratulations...All the new MLAs should discharge the responsibility of serving the people and helping them. Thanks to every single student, unemployed youth, teacher, woman, supporter of the old pension system, farmer, labourer and professional.”

As per the Election Commission's website, the BJP has won 255 seats, while its allies Apna Dal (Sonelal) and NISHAD party have won 12 and six seats, respectively.

The SP has won 111 seats, while its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has won eight seats. The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, another ally of the SP, has won six seats.

The Congress has won two seats, while the BSP has won one.

The BJP has secured a vote share of 41.3%, while the SP has bagged 32.1% of the votes. The BSP and the Congress managed to secure 12.9% and 2.33% votes, respectively.

RLD received 2.85 per cent of the votes.

Hope Govts Work for Farmers: Rakesh Tikait 

Noida: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said the decision of people is paramount as he hoped the new governments in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand will work for farmers and labourers.

The remark of the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) came late on Thursday after the BJP won majority seats in four states, including Uttar Pradesh, while the Aam Aadmi Party stormed to power in Punjab.

 “In the great festival of democracy, the decision of the people is paramount. The farmers' movement showed its effect. We hope that all the governments that have been formed will work for to uplift farmers and labourers in their respective states. Congratulations to all on the victory,” Tikait tweeted in Hindi.

Tikait's BKU was part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers unions which had spearheaded the 13-month-long protest in Delhi in 2020-21 against three contentious farm laws, which now stand repealed.

In the aftermath of the iconic protests, the SKM had launched a “punish BJP” campaign in Uttar Pradesh, where farmer leaders toured several places and highlighted the anti-agriculture policies of the saffron party and issues like inflation, alleged corruption and the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which a Union minister's son is among the accused.