The major poll players in Uttar Pradesh are preparing to make strategic moves on the state’s political chessboard in the coming weeks as they fine-tune caste and regional equations, firm up seat adjustments for the 2027 assembly elections, plan high-intensity campaigns and look to make deep forays into their rivals’ domain.
As of now, the UP assembly elections appear to be a straight contest between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and the main opposition led by the Samajwadi Party with the Congress as a possible partner. However, new political alliances and caste combinations may make or mar the prospect of any political combination.
The BJP, the leading NDA constituent, has been busy working out its strategy amid tours by its leaders to connect with the people. The BJP won 255 out of 376 seats contested in the 2022 UP polls, securing 41.29% of the votes (the share of votes on the seats contested was 44.15%).
It will depute the party top brass and bank on chief minister Yogi Adityanath as well as its ideological plank. The party also launched a month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday on September 17 to commemorate his 25 years in public service, highlighting achievements under his leadership.
Adityanath expanded his council of ministers in May, inducting six ministers in an attempt to fine-tune socio-political equations. He has been touring all the districts and Vidhan Sabha constituencies and has deputed his ministers to connect with the people.
{{/usCountry}}Adityanath expanded his council of ministers in May, inducting six ministers in an attempt to fine-tune socio-political equations. He has been touring all the districts and Vidhan Sabha constituencies and has deputed his ministers to connect with the people.
{{/usCountry}}The Samajwadi Party won 111 out of 347 seats contested in the 2022 polls and got 32.06% of the total valid votes and 37.25% of the votes in terms of the seats contested.
The SP has been focusing on the Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) formula aiming at marginalised classes and the minority community. The SP is now expanding the PDA plank, defining P for Pandits or even redefining the PDA acronym for motivational purposes as Patience, Discipline, Action. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has worked out an ambitious plan to undertake statewide tours to make deep forays into the BJP’s strongholds.
The Congress, which contested 399 UP assembly seats in 2022, won only two seats, securing 2.33% of the total valid votes and 2.36% votes of the seats contested. The party is giving strong signals of aligning with the SP though a seat adjustment is yet to be made.
Amid organisational issues, the Congress will bank on its leader Rahul Gandhi’s increasing focus on engaging Gen Z voters, the underprivileged, rising unemployment, democracy and institutional integrity issues.
The Bahujan Samaj Party, once considered a formidable force in UP, won only one out of 403 seats contested in 2022, securing 12.88% votes. Amid a family feud, BSP chief Mayawati’s shifting stand about her nephew Akash Anand is giving mixed, if not confusing, signals. Will the BSP go it alone or find some allies? This will be closely watched.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal won eight of the 33 assembly seats contested in alliance with the Samajwadi Party in 2022. It secured 2.85% of the total valid votes and 33.88% of the votes in the seats contested. Switching sides, the RLD contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls with the BJP as part of the National Democratic Alliance. The RLD is still considered a strong NDA constituent in the 2027 polls.
Other main political parties and coalitions
The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party contested the 2017 UP elections in alliance with the BJP. In 2022, it allied with the Samajwadi Party and won six of the 19 seats contested, securing 1.36% votes. The SBSP, now a partner in the Yogi government, contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election in alliance with the BJP.
As for the Nishad Party, its chief Sanjay Nishad’s son Praveen Nishad won the 2018 Gorakhpur Lok Sabha by-election on the Samajwadi Party ticket. A year later, the Nishad Party announced a brief alliance with the Samajwadi Party-BSP coalition for 2019 Lok Sabha elections but soon parted ways and aligned with the BJP with Praveen Nishad joining the ruling party.
The Nishad Party contested the 2022 UP Vidhan Sabha elections in alliance with the BJP and won six of 10 seats contested, securing 0.91% of valid votes. It remained part of the NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Apna Dal (Sone Lal) contested the 2022 UP polls in alliance with the BJP, winning 12 of 17 seats contested and securing 1.62% of the total valid votes. It contested 2024 Lok Sabha elections too in alliance with the BJP. The Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) led by Raghuraj Pratap Singh contested the 2022 UP assembly elections on its own and won two of the 17 assembly seats contested. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which has launched an early campaign for the 2027 polls, lost all the 95 seats it contested in 2022, securing 0.49% votes.