Uttar Pradesh election results highlights: BJP ahead of SP-BSP

LUCKNOW: According to trends, BJP is ahead on 57 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance is leading on 22 seats. The UPA is ahead on 1 Lok Sabha seat.
In the keenly watched contest in Amethi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is locked in a see-saw fight against Union minister Smriti Irani.
PM Mosi is leading by close to two lakh votes over his nearest rival from Varanasi.The Congress, after floating rumours of fielding Priyanka Gandhi Vadra finally settled for Ajay Rai. The SP added to the drama by announcing the candidature of sacked BSF jawan Tej Bahadur. However, with the Election Commission rejecting his nomination papers, the SP settled for its original candidate Shalini Yadav.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is leading from Azamgarh.

Uttar Pradesh is key to BJP's success in 2014 Lok Sabha elections as the party won 71 out of 80 seats in the state. The BJP's ally Apna Dal also won in 2 constituencies, leaving only 7 seats for the opposition. The BJP got a whopping 42.63 per cent of the vote share in the state decimating the two regional parties, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
While the Samajwadi Party could manage just 5 seats with a vote share of 22.35 per cent, the Mayawati-led BSP could not even open its account in the state despite a vote share of around 20 per cent.
The Congress, which is struggling for existence in the state, could win only two seats with a vote share of 7.53 per cent.
The 2019 electoral battle in the state is significant as the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have joined hands to counter the saffron surge in the state.
The genesis of this coalition was the success Akhilesh and Mayawati got in two crucial Lok Sabha bypolls of Gorakhpur and Phulpur in the state last year. The BJP lost both the Gorakhpur seat vacated by chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Phulpur Lok Sabha seat vacated by deputy CM Keshav Maurya.
As part of the alliance agreement, the BSP is contesting on 38 seats and the SP on 37 seats leaving 3 for RLD while deciding not to field any candidate in Rae Bareli and Amethi, the stronghold of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi respectively.
PM Modi had held a very impressive roadshow in Varanasi on the day he filed his nomination besides issuing an appeal to the voters days before polling.
1.5 lakh paramilitary personnel and cops for 75 counting centres
A large contingent of 1.5 lakh security personnel, drawn from central paramilitary forces (CPMF), provincial armed constabulary (PAC), state police and Home Guard, are keeping vigil at 75 counting centres for 80 parliamentary constituencies in the state on Thursday.
While the premises are under CCTV camera and drone surveillance, a special unit of 100 cops are also monitoring social media to curb rumour-mongering.
IG (law and order) Praveen Kumar said arrangements had been made according to EC guidelines. A three-tier security system is in place for the counting day, he said, adding that since the counting process is expected to take longer than usual this year, the guards will work in two shifts.