Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured victory in the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency for the third consecutive time, defeating Congress’ Ajay Rai by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. In a distant third place was Bahujan Samaj Party’s Ather Jamal Lari, trailing nearly 5.8 lakh votes behind the Prime Minister.
The BJP has maintained dominance in this seat, winning it nine times since 1991, with only RK Mishra of the Congress breaking the streak in 2004. Earlier today, Ajay Rai briefly raised hopes of an upset, initially leading the Prime Minister by 6,223 votes. However, as the day progressed, Modi widened the gap, ultimately securing over 6.12 lakh votes.
Despite Modi’s victory, the BJP’s overall performance in the state has been less impressive in this election. Since the ‘Modi wave’ in 2014, which swept Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has been nearly invincible in the state. This was followed by a remarkable resurgence led by Yogi Adityanath, resulting in the BJP’s landslide victory in the state assembly elections.
However, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh have defied expectations, with the INDIA bloc, led by Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, emerging as a formidable challenger to the BJP. The INDIA bloc is projected to secure 38 seats, a significant achievement for the party in Lok Sabha polls. Additionally, the Congress is set to regain its stronghold in Amethi, lost to Smriti Irani in the previous election.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi Triumphs In Raebareli, Surpasses Sonia’s 2019 Victory Margin In 2024 Election
Interestingly, Rahul Gandhi has opted to contest from the Raebareli seat, alongside defending his Wayanad constituency, following his mother Sonia Gandhi’s transition to the Rajya Sabha. Rahul Gandhi is poised for significant victories in both seats.
The unexpected turn of events in Uttar Pradesh underscores the surprising challenge posed by the INDIA bloc to the BJP, reflecting tight contests in other key battleground states such as West Bengal and Maharashtra.
In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress has successfully fended off an early surge from the BJP and is expected to improve upon its performance from the previous election. Similarly, in Maharashtra, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, despite internal rifts, has maintained dominance, poised to win 29 out of 48 seats in the state, thwarting BJP’s hopes of significant gains.
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