Ruling SP claims sweep over rival parties in UP civic poll

Lucknow, Nov 6 (UNI) Even as the results of the Uttar Pradesh civic election started pouring in, the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) claimed the party was in comfortable lead with the BJP and the Congress facing people's rejection.

''As per early trends, the SP has bagged 60 per cent of seats followed by indpendents, the BJP and the Congress,'' party's general secretary and senior minister Shivpal Singh Yadav told reporters here this evening.

Making a sweeping remark on the Congress, he said the results would prove that the charisma of leaders like AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi was not working in Uttar Pradesh. ''The senior Congress leaders remained indulged in tours and ignored basic developmental needs,'' Mr Yadav alleged.

''The BJP and the Congress, who had always levelled wild allegations against the ruling party, have now been exposed by the people.'' In reply to a question, Mr Yadav said the SP stood to gain more in the coming assembly poll. ''There is a lot of development work still to be done and the SP would fare much better in the assembly poll,'' he asserted.

UNI SB VS KD BS1935