New Delhi: The INDIA bloc, spearheaded by the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, has achieved a significant resurgence — overtaking the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Uttar Pradesh.

As vote counting for the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies nears its conclusion, the Congress declared June 4 that the results represent a triumph for citizens and democracy.

In a press briefing, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi emphasized that the election was not merely a contest against a political entity but a struggle to protect institutions like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the judiciary and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which he claims have been compromised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Holding a copy of the Constitution, Gandhi stated, "This fight was about safeguarding the Constitution. We were confident that the citizens of India would step up to defend it, and I want to thank everyone."

He highlighted the crucial role of the country's most disadvantaged citizens in this effort, saying, "I am extremely proud of India and everyone who has stood up to protect the Constitution. The Dalits, marginalized, poor and farmers have made significant contributions in this regard."

Regarding Congress's victory in Amethi, Gandhi remarked, "The BJP does not respect or properly engage with the people, but Kishori Lal Sharma has a strong connection with Amethi's residents. His win was expected. It's disrespectful to label him merely as a PA; he has consistently worked with the people."

The INDIA bloc, under the leadership of SP and Congress, has made a notable comeback, surpassing the BJP-led NDA in Uttar Pradesh.

Gandhi won the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh with a margin of over 4 lakh votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Securing over 670,000 votes, Rahul emerged victorious while BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh and BSP’s Thakur Prasad Yadav trailed in second and third places, respectively.

Additionally, the Congress party reclaimed Amethi from the BJP, defeating Union minister Smriti Irani.

Despite exit polls after the seven phases of polling, which concluded on June 1, predicting a decisive victory for the BJP-led NDA government and a third term for PM Modi, the Congress dismissed these predictions as "bogus." They argued that the exit polls were part of a "deliberate attempt to justify rigging" and psychological tactics by PM Modi to demoralize INDIA alliance supporters.

Defying these exit poll predictions, the Opposition INDIA bloc has managed to lead in at least 222 seats, according to the latest figures.