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In Uttar Pradesh, the battle lines for the 2027 assembly election are being drawn. Parties are betting on new leadership, caste alliances, and grassroots mobilisation to secure victory.
Political parties are actively restructuring their organisational setups to strengthen their electoral prospects.
As Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, prepares for the 2027 Assembly elections, political parties are actively restructuring their organisational setups to strengthen their electoral prospects. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress, and the Samajwadi Party (SP) are undergoing comprehensive overhauls, aiming to consolidate their bases and expand their influence across the state’s diverse political landscape.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP has taken the lead in reshaping its organisation by appointing 70 district presidents. Of these, 44 are new leaders, while 26 have retained their positions, in line with the party’s policy of limiting consecutive terms for district chiefs. Caste representation has been a key factor in these appointments, ensuring a balanced mix of Brahmins, Thakurs, OBCs, and SCs.
A senior BJP leader involved in the selection process emphasised, “The selection process was done with the aim of ensuring representation from every community while keeping the winnability factor in mind. We have ensured that no single caste dominates the appointments.”
The BJP’s restructuring efforts come in response to its declining seat share in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where its tally dropped from 62 to 33.
Political analyst Shashikant Pandey, head of the Department of Political Science at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, said, “The BJP lost significant ground in UP in 2024 due to caste mobilisation by opposition parties. The new leadership appointments indicate an attempt to regain lost support among OBCs and Dalits while retaining the upper-caste base.”
Party insiders said that with the zila panchayat elections scheduled for next year and the Assembly elections in 2027, the BJP is focusing on grassroots mobilisation, ensuring its leadership reflects both caste diversity and youth participation.
Meanwhile, the Congress, under Mallikarjun Kharge, has also revamped its Uttar Pradesh unit, appointing city and district presidents across 75 districts. The party has increased representation for Dalits, OBCs, and Muslims, though concerns remain about the overrepresentation of upper castes.
A senior Dalit Congress leader expressed disappointment, stating, “While the Congress has given more representation to Dalits and OBCs than before, it still falls short of their actual population share in the state.”
Defending the appointments, state Congress chief Ajay Rai said, “If you analyse the list, 65 per cent of the appointments are from Dalit, OBC, Muslim, and ST communities. Our focus is on creating a leadership that represents all sections of society.”
However, despite these efforts, internal debates persist over whether the Congress can effectively position itself as a pro-social justice party while still relying on upper-caste votes. Pandey further said, “The Congress has to strike a fine balance. While they need upper-caste support, they must also ensure that OBCs and Dalits feel adequately represented.”
Whereas the Samajwadi Party, under Akhilesh Yadav, is advancing its PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) strategy, which proved successful in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, helping the party secure 37 seats. SP insiders said the party is set to restructure its organisation in phases, prioritising leaders from backward communities to strengthen its support base.
A senior SP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed, “The PDA formula worked well for us in 2024, and we intend to strengthen it further. We are identifying non-performers and ensuring that strong grassroots leaders, especially from backward communities, take charge.”
The appointment of Shyam Lal Pal as the new SP state president in May last year was a crucial step in this direction, followed by internal meetings in December to finalise the list of new district chiefs. Political analyst Dr Ramesh Dixit remarked, “Akhilesh Yadav understands the importance of social engineering. By placing OBCs, Dalits, and Muslims in leadership positions, SP is attempting to cement its position as the primary challenger to the BJP.”
With zila panchayat elections in 2026 and Assembly elections in 2027, the SP is doubling down on its PDA strategy, believing it to be the key to securing victory.
As Uttar Pradesh heads into a high-stakes electoral battle, each party is working meticulously to strengthen its position. The BJP is banking on a mix of new leadership, caste inclusivity, and Yogi Adityanath’s governance model to secure a third consecutive term. The Congress is struggling with internal dissent over representation while trying to build a stronger organisational base for the INDIA bloc. The SP, buoyed by its 2024 success, is focusing on social engineering through the PDA formula.
Political expert Pandey summed up the scenario, stating, “The 2027 UP election will not just be about party ideologies; it will be a battle of caste alignments, leadership restructuring, and grassroots mobilisation.”