At UP BJP office, leaders go beyond exit polls, predict over 74 LS seats in state

Lucknow: Discussions over tea on exit polls and prospective post-election alliances were rife at the BJP headquarters here on Monday, as leaders predicted over 74 seats for the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh.

Though most exit polls Sunday forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they remained divided in their prediction for the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with some like ABP-Nielsen saying that the BJP's tally may fall to 22 from 71 while a few others like New 18-Ipsos and News 24-Chanakya tipping its tally over 60 seats.

Pointing to electoral maps of the state, detailing parliamentary and assembly constituencies, BJP leaders and functionaries from various districts indicated places from where SP-BSP alliance candidates would loose and claimed the "gathbandhan" will break after Lok Sabha results are announced.

"The BJP will accomplish its target of 74-plus seats in UP (which sends 80 members to Lok Sabha) and the SP-BSP alliance will perform very poorly," state BJP spokesperson Chandramohan said, a day after voting for the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections ended.

Results for the general elections will be declared on May 23

"Most of the exit polls have predicted a majority for the BJP-led NDA," said Chandramohan as his colleagues remained glued to panel discussions on news channels.

Some of the exit polls have projected that the BJP-led NDA will get over 300 seats to comfortably cross the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha.

Making light of a meeting between SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati, he said the alliance will crack on May 23.

"Their days are over as far as UP is concerned. They have indulged in casteist and dynastic politics and have pushed the state into backwardness," Chandramohan said.