Lucknow, The Bharatiya Janata Party is leading in the initial rounds of counting of votes for 27 seats of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

BJP candidates are leading in almost all seats except Azamgarh where Vikrant Singh Rishu, son of expelled BJP MLC Yashwant Singh, was leading in counting of votes.

Elections have been held on 27 of the 36 seats for the legislative council, through local bodies.

The BJP has already won nine seats unanimously in the elections.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asserted that after almost four decades, for the first time in the state, the ruling party will attain a thumping majority in the Legislative Council.

"As the BJP candidates have been elected unopposed on 9 seats in the MLC elections, the BJP is assured to win the remaining 27 seats too," he said.

He further added, "With a thumping majority in the Legislative Council as well as the state Assembly, the government will be able to do even better work in the interest of public welfare, women's safety and self-reliance, employment of youth, and farmers."

The chief minister said, "We were able to form our government with two-thirds majority under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections. This will be probably the first time that the ruling party will have a majority in the State Legislative Council."