In the month of August 2016, there was an opinion poll conducted by the ABP News-Lokniti Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). The opinion poll suggested, that the reigning Samajwadi Party government still has enough public support to win if an election was to be held then.
This was contrary to the common trend as Uttar Pradesh has not remained particularly benevolent towards ruling parties. The poll placed Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party at the top with get 141-151 seats followed closely by the BJP with 124-134 seats.
Mayawati led Bahujan Samajwadi Party was placed third with 103-113 seats. The Congress under the able and spirited leadership of Rahul Gandhi and planning genius of Prashant Kishore was shown struggling far behind in the race with only 8-14 seats.
And then followed a series of infighting in the Samajwadi Party, what started as a minor scuffle over the merger of Mukhtar Ansari led Quami Ekta Dal soon snowballed into mega family feud.
Shivpal Yadav came out in the open to show his muscles, Akhilesh Yadav didn’t crumble under pressure and a red-faced Mulayam had to finally come out in the open to appease the two warring factions.
Also, Many biggies left Bahujan Samaj Party but Mayawati’s age-old rhetorics against “Manuwadi” parties and “Vanshwaadi” families continued…unabated.
Dayashankar Episode followed which marked the rise of Swati Singh, wife of Dayashankar Singh and now the Uttar Pradesh Women wing chief.
BJP played the waiting game, its State President Keshav Maurya avoided media glare and did his maths quietly from behind the scenes. Yesterday, Narendra Modi addressed a huge crowd at Aishbagh, Lucknow where the war cries of Jai Shri Ram set the mood for the most populous state of world’s biggest democracy.
Today India Today released its opinion poll findings. According to an opinion poll by Axis-My-India for the India Today Group, the BJP is expected to win 170-183 seats in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, to be held next year.
While Mayawati’s BSP is likely to bag 115-124 seats, the incumbent Samajwadi Party is expected to win 94-103 seats in polls for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly.
The survey says that the Congress, which announced Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial candidate in UP, will barely make it to double digits. However, if the opinion poll turns out to be true, Uttar Pradesh will surely have a hung assembly.
Source – India Today
Surgical Strike and Modi’s Dussehra Speech seem to be doing their magic. Although the numbers are from decisive, they will certainly motivate the BJP state cadres to put in more efforts.
In an absence of a Bihar like Mahagathbandhan and the confidence about Brand Modi, Uttar Pradesh doesn’t seem like mission Impossible, but of course, it will take more rallies and many more bold steps both on the economic and the defence front.