So, it is with light-heartedness Maya retorted to a question on the fate of the rival she ousted, Mulayam Singh Yadav. “Why should I hurt someone who is dead, who has already been punished by the people of Uttar Pradesh?”

Mulayam’s CBI parting shot

• On May 9, just two days before the counting day, CM Mulayam Singh Yadav gave his government’s sanction allowing the CBI to prosecute Mayawati in the Taj Heritage Corridor scam. Investigating the Rs 175-crore scam, the CBI had filed a chargesheet against Mayawati before a lower court in Lucknow in March this year.

BSP 208
Seats in 2002: 97
Seat gain/loss: +111

Mayawati castes a spell

• Carefully broadening her base, BSP got formula right: core of Dalit votes plus chunks from the upper castes and Muslims.

• Will force BJP, Cong to think hard

SP+ 97
Seats in 2002: 147
Seat gain/loss: -50

M and Y don’t add UP

• Mulayam did not lose votes —in fact, got 1% more. Maya cut into his Muslim-Yadav combine .

• Faces hostile governments in Lucknow and Delhi, his Third Front dreams now lies shattered

BJP+ 50
Seats in 2002: 97
Seat gain/loss: -47

Battered in land of Ayodhya

• Kalyan Singh promised Lodh vote, Thakur Rajnath Singh the upper-castes but saffron wipeout

• Feel-good factor from Uttaranchal and Punjab fades, braces for inter-party fights again

... contd.