Jumbo advantage for BSP's elephant

ADVANTAGE: Mayawati's cohots are confident of claiming the Lucknow throne.

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Lucknow: Who will rule Uttar Pradesh? As counting begins at at 0700 hrs (IST) on Friday, the exit polls have already predicted a smooth march for Mayawati's elephant.

In the BSP camp, Mayawati's cohorts and colleagues have a definite spring in their step. Bouyed by the exit poll predictions, they are confident of claiming Lucknow’s gaddi.

“Mulayam will be defeated and BSP will win," says Mayawati.

The CNN-IBN-Indian Express post poll had given Mayawati a tally of 152 to 168 seats thereby giving her the pole position.

If Mayawati reaches 150 in a House of 403, then the Samajwadi Party have serious reasons to be worried.

Despite the brave foront being put up by incumbent chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, CNN-IBN's post poll has given Mulayam Singh 99 to 110 seats, quite an improvement in the later phases from his earlier showing.

Hence, the politically shrewd chief minister is keeping his options open

"I have no news till the 14th after that i will have all the news," says Mulayam.

The BJP which was hoping for a resurgence in this politically most sensitive state may not actually gain much.

Last time it had won 88 seats and the CNN-IBN post poll predicts it will position itself somewhere between 80 and 90 again.

When the sun rises on UP on Friday, people will be hoping that the future will be bright and prosperous for them under a new government.

Irrespective of who gets to rule UP< these elections will be remembered best for the Election Commission’s effective role, almost negligible violence, no bogus voting and a sense of confidence amongst the voters.