Mayawati marches past SP, BJP in UP polls

Lucknow, May 11: The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) wasway ahead of the ruling Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Partyas the latest trends in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly pollsindicated.

Out of 304 trends available at the state election headquarters,BSP was leading in 145 seats while the SP and BJP followed with 70 and45, respectively. The Congress was ahead in 23 seats, while AjitSingh-led RLD's candidates leading in 7 seats.

Independents were in lead in 8 seats, while JD(U) and Loktantrik Congress were ahead on one seat each.

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, also the SP supremo, wasleading both in the seats of Bharthana and Gunnaur. BJP state presidentKeshri Nath Tripathi is trailing in Allahabad(south), controversialindependent candidate from Kunda, Raghuraj Pratap Singh 'Raja Bhaiyya'and mafia-turned-legislator Mukhtar Ansari from Mau were trailing intheir respective constituencies. Another mafia-turned-politician AmarMani Tripathi, who contested the election from behind bars, was leadingin the Laxmipur seat in Maharajganj district.

BJP legislative party leader Lalji Tandon was trailing in theLucknow (west) seat, while SP leader and UP transport minister NareshAgwarwal was leading from Hardoi.

SP leader and Revenue Minsiter Ambika Choudhary was leadingKochipeet in Ballia, while the president of Apna Dal, an ally of BJP,Sone Lal Patel was trailing in the Kolasla assembly constituency.

The BSP was leading in four of the five seats in Mathura district.It was leading in Chata, Govardhan, Gokul and Mathura, whileLoktantraik Congress was ahead in Nat.

Meanwhile, BSP General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra expresseddelight at the early trends and hoped the final tally would see the BSPforming its own government with a clear majority.

UNI