Big win for BJP, no hung verdict in Uttar Pradesh, says Amit Shah

CHAYAL | RANIGANJ | PATTI | AMETHI: In a conversation during a hectic day of campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Thursday told ET his party will get an absolute majority and that there will no hung assembly. UP has had two phases of a seven-phase election. Results will be declared on March 11.

“It will not be a hung verdict,” Shah told ET. He rejected Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati's suggestions that there may be a hung verdict, and significantly added that BSP will prefer sitting in Opposition than allying with any other party, BJP included. Mayawati had recently spoken about post-poll alliances, hinting at a hung verdict.

Shah said that BJP will get twothirds majority in the 402-seat UP assembly and that his party is in a strong fight in every region of India’s largest state but that BSP and Samajwadi Party are strong only in different regions. Shah, who did not directly invoke demonetisation in his poll rallies, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radical policy decision has “helped BJP” and that the party’s rivals “were welcome to make it a referendum if they want”. He said BJP has nothing to fear from such a strategy by the Opposition. On BJP rivals’ allegation on polarisation, Shah said there’s “no polarisation” and that development is the main campaign plank.