In the corridors of Indian politics, there is an old and seemingly hackneyed saying — "The road to Delhi passes through Uttar Pradesh." The 2024 Lok Sabha elections underlined the truth of this saying once again in a new and bitter style. The BJP, which was dreaming of a 'maha-complete majority' at the Centre, received a major political jolt from Uttar Pradesh. The BJP, which had won 62 seats in 2019, was reduced to 33 in 2024. Many reasons were cited behind this defeat, but the most prominent analysis was that at the ground level, there was a lack of that coordination between the BJP and the Sangh which used to guarantee its victory. The BJP and the Sangh do not want to repeat this bitter memory of 2024. That is why the bugle for the 2027 Assembly elections has been sounded right now.
After the jolt of 2024, to remove the lack of coordination, an important meeting of the Sangh's ancillary organizations was organized in Ghaziabad on June 30. The main focus of this meeting was election planning, campaign strategy and the role of the Sangh in expanding the BJP's ground presence. The seriousness of this meeting can be gauged from the fact that stalwarts like Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, both Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, State President Pankaj Chaudhary and Organisation Secretary Dharampal Singh participated in it.
Immediately after this, on July 10-12, the Sangh's Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak meeting was held in Belagavi, Karnataka. In the presence of top leadership like Mohan Bhagwat and Dattatreya Hosabale, the situation in Uttar Pradesh was discussed in detail. According to sources, the Sangh Parivar wants that before the elections, the benefits of every welfare scheme of the Uttar Pradesh government should reach the last beneficiary of the state. The Sangh has decided that all its ancillary organizations, including labour organizations, will be put into the field with full force for this 'outreach'. The organization clearly believes that being in power is beneficial only when you can convey the message of your schemes directly to the voter.
Ticket Distribution and the Test of Performance
Another sensitive issue was discussed in the Ghaziabad meeting — the selection of candidates. Sources say that feedback on the performance of current MLAs and ministers is being collected. A strict yardstick has been set to gauge 'anti-incumbency' at the local level, caste equations and acceptability among the public. Indications are that if necessary, tickets of 25 to 40 percent of existing MLAs can be cut.
The BJP's strategy is clear: the election will be fought under the face and leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but to remove the discontent arising at the constituency level, a major reshuffle will be done among candidates. The criteria set for ticket distribution include the MLA's activeness in his area, his acceptability within the organization, implementation of government schemes and most importantly — the ability to defeat the opposition. Apart from this, issues like repeated 'paper leaks' were also discussed and the Sangh has suggested that it is imperative to resolve these issues before they become a big political issue.
'Lokmat Parishkar': The Sangh's Ground Encirclement
The RSS's activism in Uttar Pradesh is not limited to meetings only. The Sangh is starting a massive voter awareness campaign named 'Lokmat Parishkar'. This campaign will be on the lines of those campaigns in Haryana and West Bengal, where Sangh volunteers went door-to-door to make voters aware.
According to a Sangh office bearer, this campaign will be unprecedented. In each of the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, there will be about 80 or more groups. Each group will have 4 to 5 volunteers who will roam in settlements and villages. Not only the Sangh, but organizations like Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad [ABVP], Vishva Hindu Parishad [VHP], Bharatiya Kisan Sangh [BKS] and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh will also have separate groups. It is estimated that about 15,000 groups will hold 30 meetings each on average. That is, at least 5 lakh small meetings will be held across Uttar Pradesh, through which more than 40 lakh families will be directly reached.
The aim of this campaign is not to seek votes for the BJP, but to do 'parishkar' of 'lokmat' [public opinion]. The VHP will connect with temple committees and social organizations, the ABVP will go among students and the Kisan Sangh will interact with families of farmers. They will discuss issues of national and local importance. For example, if there is a problem of drought in Bundelkhand, then volunteers will go there and give information about the government's water conservation schemes and relief works. If there is anger among youth regarding paper leaks, they will be explained about the stringent steps taken by the government and the new systems. This will be an informal but extremely effective communication mechanism.[refinement]
Ayodhya: The Question of Faith and Accountability
Another important issue was raised in the Belagavi meeting — allegations of irregularities in the Ayodhya Ram Temple donations. The Sangh has entrusted the Prant Pracharaks with the task of gauging public sentiments on this issue and assessing its impact. The BJP and the Sangh believe that the Ram Temple is a symbol of their cultural victory and no taint should be allowed on it. In the meetings in Lucknow, it was decided that the issue of Ram Temple will not be ignored. The party has decided that it will show the public that if there has been any irregularity anywhere, it will not shy away from accepting responsibility and taking strict action. To exemplify the slogan "We are a party with a difference", punishing the guilty has been considered imperative.
General Diplomacy: The Exercise to Erase Differences
Politics is often a game of spectacle and signals. The BJP has started its election campaign in Uttar Pradesh with this very spectacle. In the recent past, news of differences between Yogi Adityanath, Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak was in the headlines. To remove this, the party took recourse to 'General Diplomacy'. In the presence of BJP National President and election in-charge Nitin Nabin, these leaders went to each other's houses, ate mangoes and appeared before cameras smiling. This was a big message that before going into the battle of 2027, everything is fine within the party.
Nitin Nabin reviewed the organizational preparations in Lucknow and gave a clear indication that Yogi Adityanath will be the face of the BJP in the 2027 elections. This is a different strategy from 2022, when the BJP had talked about collective leadership and had not clearly projected the face of the Chief Minister before the elections. But this time, the BJP is considering Yogi Adityanath's image of a 'tough administrator' as its biggest capital.
Social Engineering: Focus on OBCs and Dalits
On the organizational front, the BJP has further sharpened its 'social engineering'. In the BJP's new state team, the representation of Other Backward Classes i.e. OBC has been increased from 16 to 25. This is the highest in any social group. The party's clear focus is on associating non-Yadav OBC communities with itself.
Apart from this, an attempt has also been made to strike a balance among Scheduled Castes [especially non-Jatav], Scheduled Tribes, Rajputs, Vaishyas, Kayasthas and Jats. In the general category, Brahmins have been given the highest 12 posts, while Rajputs have got 9 posts. The BJP wants to ensure that its social coalition is much stronger and broader than in 2024.[Thakurs]
The Long March of 2027
The BJP has started its 'long march' for the 2027 Assembly elections. There is still more than 8 months time for the elections, but the party has taken a lead over the opposition in terms of candidate selection, organizational reshuffle, resolving internal differences and ground contact. According to political analyst Badri Narayan, this time the BJP is laying the most emphasis on organizational unity and meticulous preparation.
The Sangh's door-to-door knocking and the BJP's new social engineering — together these are preparing such a protective shield in Uttar Pradesh that will not allow a lapse like that of 2024 to happen again. This election of 2027 will not be just an election to elect the government of a state, but it will decide the future of the BJP and the direction of its morale for the Lok Sabha elections of 2029. To make the road to Delhi unhindered once again through power in Lucknow, the Sangh and the BJP have thrown their full might.