UP Assembly polls: BJP increases vote share despite losing over 50 seats

All set to form a majority government for the second time in a row in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has managed to increase its vote share despite a loss of over 50 seats from its tally of 2017.

The BJP had won 312 of the 384 seats contested by it in the 2017 assembly elections and its vote share was 39.67 per cent.

Till 9.30 pm, the BJP had won 216 seats and was leading in 39 others with a vote share of 41.4 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India website.

Going by this, the BJP is expected to get 255 seats this time around which will be a loss of 57 seats when compared to its 2017 tally, even as the party's vote share has increased.

With a second consecutive victory, the BJP has also repeated history as the feat was last achieved 37 years ago by the Congress.

In 1985, the Congress had formed its majority government for two successive terms.

The BJP had fought the election in alliance with Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Nirbal Indian Social Hamara Apna Dal (NISHAD Party). It had contested 376 seats on its own while leaving the remaining for its allies.

It had given 17 seats to Apna Dal (S), which contested on its own symbol, while out of the 16 seats given to the NISHAD party, 10 candidates fought on its own symbol and the remaining on BJP symbol.

In 2017, the BJP had given 11 seats to Apna Dal (s) and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) led by Omprakash Rajbhar. SBSP this time was a part of the Samajwadi Party-led alliance and has won three seats while leading on another three.

Apna Dal (S) led by Anupriya Patel has won nine seats and is leading on three others while the NISHAD party has bagged five seats and is leading on one.