09 December, 2013

India's BJP set to form government in key states

BBC News


India's main opposition BJP is set to form a government in three key states after winning an absolute majority in assembly elections.
  • The Hindu nationalist party has won 162 assembly seats in the northern state of Rajasthan, leaving the ruling Congress with just 21 seats.
  • The BJP also retained power in the central states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
  • It won 165 seats against the Congress' 58 in Madhya Pradesh.

But the contest was much closer in Chhattisgarh where the BJP won 49 seats - just three more than the majority needed to form a government - and the Congress finished its tally at 39.

The Congress party also lost control of Delhi's 70-seat assembly.

With 31 seats, the BJP fell four short of a majority to form a government in the capital after a surprise strong showing by a new anti-corruption Aam Admi Party (AAP) or Common Man's Party.

The AAP, led by former civil servant Arvind Kejriwal and born out of a strong anti-corruption movement that swept India two years ago, won 28 seats in the Delhi assembly elections.

Mr Kejriwal said his party will "play the role of constructive opposition and will not seek or give support from any party to form a government".

The BJP sprung a surprise on Sunday evening, saying though it had emerged as the single largest party, it did not have the mandate to form the government.

"We respect the people's mandate and we will not indulge in breaking or supporting other parties or candidates to form the government," BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan said.

With a hung assembly appearing imminent, Delhi may be forced to hold re-elections, analysts say.

The Congress party that has ruled India for most of its existence as an independent nation has been humiliated in these polls, in what is being seen as a wave of rebellion against its handling of the economy - and corruption, says the BBC's Andrew North in Delhi.

Source : BBC News

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