Party of "untouchables" wins populous Indian state

By Y.P. Rajesh

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A party championing the lowest castes scored a surprise win in elections in India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, while the country's ruling and main opposition parties both lost ground.

The results were not expected to hurt Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's central coalition as the Hindu nationalist opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also fared poorly, disproving exit polls that had forecast an improved showing.

The victory of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which represents India's former "untouchables", analysts said, could indicate that the state was moving away from divisive, caste-based politics and had voted for a new, broader coalition.

The BSP, headed by fiery teacher-turned-politician Mayawati, forged an unlikely alliance with the Brahmins, those on top of the Hindu caste hierarchy, touting it as a union of economically marginalized classes rather than a caste-based relationship.

"The people of Uttar Pradesh have risen above religion and caste divisions and have voted for us," Mayawati told a news conference.

The strong show by the party was a vindication of its philosophy and was also a victory of the traditionally oppressed, she added.

"This is a vote in favor of good governance. She has broadbased her support base to head a national social coalition. This is the winning card," said B.G. Verghese, a former editor and political analyst at New Delhi's Centre for Policy Research.

Home to about 170 million people, Uttar Pradesh in the northern Hindi heartland is one of the most crowded regions on earth. It is roughly the size of the United Kingdom yet only five nations, including India itself, have a higher population.

Although the month-long vote was fought largely on local issues, its outcome is expected to help shape the political direction for Congress and BJP ahead of 10 state elections due next year and national polls in 2009.

"WRITING ON THE WALL"

Pre-poll surveys and exit polls had forecast the BSP to emerge as the largest party in the 403-member assembly but it was not expected to win a majority on its own.

On Friday, as counting of ballots neared a close, the party had won 204 seats of the 397 declared, NDTV said.

Party activists and supporters burst firecrackers, beat drums, danced in the streets and distributed sweets across the state as the results arrived.

A majority for BSP is the first for any party since polls in 1991. Three elections since then have given inconclusive verdicts, resulting in political instability, and corruption, with legislators frequently changing parties.

The BJP, which had won 88 seats in the previous poll and was forecast to touch about 110 this time, dropped to 51.