INDIA bloc meeting: Akhilesh Yadav leaves for Delhi to discuss further strategy

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 5 (ANI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday left from Lucknow to attend the INDIA bloc's meeting to be held in Delhi.
The meeting is going to be held to discuss various steps in the formation of the government.
Speaking to ANI at Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, Akhilesh said, "We are going for the meeting and further strategy will be prepared there."
On being asked if his party has cut the votes of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh, the SP chief said, "All these things are completely wrong, we have not cut anyone's vote, the PDA slogan has been successful and the public has blessed the INDIA bloc."
Notably, the Samajwadi Party has dominated the 18th Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, winning 37 seats.
Akhilesh Yadav defeated BJP's Subrat Pathak with a margin of 1,70,922 votes. Yadav garnered 6,42,292 votes while Pathak received 4,71,370 votes.
Declaration of results of the 18th Lok Sabha election in the 543-member Parliament saw the BJP-led NDA winning 294 seats and the INDIA bloc bagging 234 seats. A party or coalition requires a simple majority of 272 seats to form the government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured a third term, but the BJP will need the support of other parties in his coalition, primarily -JD (U) chief Nitish Kumar and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.
Both Naidu and Nitish have affirmed their support for the NDA government.
However, speculations are continuing that the INDIA bloc is trying to woo some of the NDA allies to spring a surprise.
According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP won 240 seats, much lower than its 2019 tally of 303. The Congress, on the other hand, registered a strong growth, winning 99 seats. (ANI)