BY KULDEEP SINGH YADAV
After a below-par performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gearing up for a significant organisational overhaul in Uttar Pradesh (UP), one of the most politically crucial states in India. With the 2027 UP Assembly elections approaching, the party is seeking to regain lost ground and rebuild its voter base, especially after the shock delivered by the INDIA bloc’s resurgence in the general elections.
In the 2024 general elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed to win only 36 out of the 80 parliamentary seats in the state. The INDIA bloc, spearheaded by the Samajwadi Party (SP), secured 43 seats with the SP alone capturing an impressive 37 seats. This was a clear signal of waning support in BJP’s stronghold, prompting the leadership to re-strategize.
The BJP’s response is a multi-pronged corrective plan beginning with internal restructuring. A new Uttar Pradesh BJP president is expected to be appointed soon, marking the beginning of this revamp. The appointment will likely be followed by a cabinet expansion in the Yogi Adityanath-led government. The aim is to bring greater regional and caste representation within both the party and the state government, addressing the voter segments that turned away in 2024.
A key focus will be on regions like Awadh, Braj, Kashi, Ambedkar Nagar, and the Pratapgarh–Prayagraj belt where BJP experienced noticeable voter drift. Among the communities being considered for increased representation are Pasi and Kurmi groups from Awadh; Saini, Maurya, and Shakya from the central-eastern belt; Shakya from Braj; and Bind and Kurmi from Kashi. These groups, traditionally part of the BJP’s support base, reportedly shifted allegiance in the 2024 elections, with some constituencies witnessing a 6–7% decline in BJP’s vote share.
Despite the setback, the BJP showed signs of revival in the November 2024 by-elections, winning six of the nine contested assembly seats, while its ally, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), secured one. The Samajwadi Party could only manage two. This has provided the saffron party with renewed hope and a strategic entry point to reset its narrative. The party is also expected to elect a new national president soon, as JP Nadda’s extended term nears its end.
This change at the top could further energize the BJP cadre nationwide, with Uttar Pradesh remaining a top priority. With the Yogi Adityanath government having secured back-to-back victories in the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections, the leadership now aims for a historic third term. However, with shifting voter loyalties and strong opposition alliances, the road to 2027 will demand deep introspection, inclusive politics, and a redefined connect with the grassroots.
