Ruling SP trails in crucial UP mayoral polls

Lucknow, Nov 6 (UNI) In a bolt from blue for the ruling Samajwadi Party, its mayoral candidates were trailing in 12 seats in the urban local bodies election, counting for which began this morning.

Latest trends show that SP mayoral candidates were trailing behind Opposition BJP and Congress rivals in all 12 seats -- including the capital city where gynaecologist Madhu Gupta (SP) was trailing behind former cop Mansoor Ahmed (Congress).

BJP mayoral candidates were leading in eight seats, while Congress could manage lead in only four seats. Counting for most of the mayoral election could only begin this evening.

BJP has taken lead in Ghaziabad, Meerut, Moradabad, Gorakhpur, Agra, Aligarh, Varanasi and Kanpur, while Congress was leading in Lucknow, Bareilly, Jhansi and Allahabad.

In the 2000 polls, BJP was the main gainer as it wrested six mayor seats out of the total 12, while BSP, SP and Congress had won one seat each. Three independents were declared winners on mayoral posts in the last election.

Percentage wise, BJP stood on top by notching 18.11 per cent votes in the urban local bodies poll in the year 2000, while SP received 15.30 per cent, BSP got 13.48 per cent and Congress could only manage 8.63 per cent votes.

Otherwise, Independents along with the ruling Samajwadi Party candidates were cruising ahead of the BJP and Congress in UP urban local bodies poll results declared so far.

The civic election is considered crucial as political parties see them as a warm-up exercise ahead of the assembly election due early next year.

Several Independents were supported by the BSP, which did not contest the poll. Except for the BSP, all major parties had contested the UP civic poll.

Of the results of 54 nagar palika parishads announced so far, 20 were won by the SP, while BJP won six seats and the Independents got elected in 19 parishads. The candidates of other smaller parties also managed seven seats. Congress has won two seats.

Of the total of 193 nagar panchayat election results announced so far, the highest 75 were cornered by Independents, followed by SP 58, BJP 34 and Congress 10. Rest 16 seats were won by smaller parties like BS-4, RLD and Apna Dal.

State Election Commission (SEC) officials said the counting of votes for the crucial mayoral polls started late this evening and the results were expected by tomorrow morning.

The three phase election -- on October 28, 31 and November 3 -- were marred by allegations of large scale rigging and sporadic violence, in which at least two persons died and over 100 were injured.

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