BJP expands footprint; Cong routed; AAP widens presence

The BJP raced towards a second straight win in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh and dominated the score chart in three other states while the Aam Aadmi Party announced its national presence with a landslide victory in Punjab, diminishing the Congress even further.

As votes were counted on Thursday for elections to five states held over February and March, the possible 4-1 score for India’s ruling party underscored its political prowess. The BJP was also ahead in Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa, according to trends and results on the Election Commission website.

The Congress epitaph was written on the electoral battlefield. The party, now in power only in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, an all-time low, lost Punjab and was ahead in only two seats in Uttar Pradesh with a vote share of 2.3 per cent — notwithstanding the high-decibel campaign by the Gandhi siblings Rahul and Priyanka.

Also read: Game not over in Goa, Congress says it will form next govt

Also see: Detailed break-up of results from the five states

Also read: EC looks the other way as Akhilesh cries foul over ‘tinkering’ of EVMs

Also read: Reading the electoral astrology on Punjab’s tepid voter turnout

Also read: Amarinder Singh: The gradual diminishing of a satrap

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