BJP trailing in constituency where Ram Mandir is located
What's the story
The Samajwadi Party (SP) is currently leading in the Faizabad constituency—which includes the Ayodhya assembly seat.
This is significant as the construction of Ram Mandir was one of the major poll plank of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
To recall, the temple's consecration ceremony was held on January 22.
According to the Election Commission of India data, the SP's Awadhesh Prasad is ahead by over 33,000 votes against his nearest BJP rival, Lallu Singh.
Poll discrepancy
Exit poll predictions contradict current election trends
Contrary to exit poll predictions of a BJP majority in Uttar Pradesh, current trends depict a different scenario.
The SP and the Congress are providing stiff competition to the BJP, with the former leading in 33 seats and the latter in 7.
The saffron party is currently ahead in only 37 seats, marking a significant drop of 28 seats since the last election in 2019.
Alliance impact
SP-Congress alliance leads in UP
In the current election, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress has taken a lead on 44 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, surpassing the NDA's 35.
This is a significant shift from the 2014 and 2019 elections when BJP won 71 and 62 seats respectively.
The Bahujan Samaj Party, which had won 10 seats in the previous election, is not leading on any seat according to current ECI.