Surprising outcomes are potentially on the horizon in Uttar Padesh's Lok Sabha election. This time, Samajwadi Party has not allied with the Bahujan Samaj Party. Akhilesh Yadav is preparing to storm BJP's stronghold in alliance with Congress. The SP-BSP alliance didn't fare well in 2019, only securing a few seats.
Bahujan Samaj Party head Mayawati has decided to fight solo this election, setting up a face-off between the SP-Congress alliance and the NDA, which now incorporates the Rashtriya Lok Dal in Western Uttar Pradesh and has tied up with several caste-based and regional parties in the Purvanchal region.
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Reviewing past Lok Sabha elections, in 2014, the BJP alliance won 73 of Uttar Pradesh's 80 seats, and in 2019, BJP alone won 62 seats with ally Apna Dal securing two.
The Political Equation of Western Uttar Pradesh
During the last elections, BJP secured 23 seats, while SP and BSP won four seats each in Western Uttar Pradesh. Notably, the seat in Mainpuri which used to be represented by Mulayam Singh was taken by his daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav, and she is running from the same seat this year as well.
Changed Dynamics in Central Uttar Pradesh
Seats in Amethi and Raebareli that were once Congress strongholds have changed. BJP demolished Congress in Amethi in 2019, with Smriti Irani waving the victory flag for her party.
State of Affairs in Lucknow and Nearby Regions
In 2019's elections, Rajnath Singh won from central Lucknow, while BSP secured only one seat in this region with Ritesh Pandey winning from Ambedkarnagar. SP was wiped out in this region. BJP managed to win 13 seats in Uttar Pradesh, including prominent Faizabad, an important Hindu spiritual center.
BSP Stands Stronger than SP in Eastern UP
BSP managed to secure five seats from Eastern Uttar Pradesh in the last elections, overshadowing SP which only took one seat. Apna Dal secured two. Significantly, this region also includes the Varanasi constituency represented by PM Narendra Modi.
Bundelkhand Remains Under BJP
BJP continues to dominate the Bundelkhand region after holding all four seats in the recent elections. The region, suffering from water scarcity, has been the recipient of a notable drinking water scheme announced by PM Modi and the state government which could sway voters in the upcoming election.
