Why BJP wants Yogi Adityanath, deputy CMs to contest 2027 UP polls

As the BJP prepares for a difficult election after setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it appears keen to make the contest a direct test of its state leadershipEven as Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has announced he will not contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the BJP is considering fielding its top state leadership in the electoral battle. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak are among the probable candidates being discussed, according to sources.While Adityanath and Pathak may contest from their existing constituencies, the BJP is weighing options for Maurya, who is currently a member of the legislative council. As the party prepares for a difficult election after its setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it appears keen to make the assembly poll contest a direct test of its state leadership.The BJP had won 33 of the Uttar Pradesh's 80 parliamentary seats in 2024, down from 62 in 2019. The SP emerged as the largest party with 37 seats; ally Congress won six. The results gave the Opposition renewed confidence, yet the BJP retains substantial advantage in the 2027 contest.In 2022, the BJP won 255 of the 403 assembly seats, securing a second consecutive term under Adityanath. The SP got 111 seats, besides victories by then allies Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). The Congress was reduced to two seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to one. The 2027 elections will, therefore, be a contest between the ruling party seeking a third consecutive term and an Opposition that believes its 2024 general election performance marked a definitive shift in voters’ mood. Against this backdrop, having Adityanath and the two deputy chief ministers contest could serve a larger purpose. Adityanath has been the face of the BJP government since 2017 and represents the Gorakhpur Urban assembly seat, from where he won in 2017 and 2022. His candidature from the same seat would underline the party's decision to project him as its principal face in the state. At a recent state executive meeting, the BJP’s state in-charge Vinod Tawde reiterated Adityanath would lead the campaign and also set a target of 312 seats.The Adityanath government, among its principal achievements, highlights infrastructure expansion, improved law and order and welfare delivery. The Opposition counters this by raising unemployment, government job recruitment controversies, inflation and questionable implementation of welfare promises. The BJP will also have to address the reasons behind its 2024 losses, when the SP-Congress alliance led in several assembly segments that the BJP had won in 2022.The proposed candidature of Maurya is complicated as he is not an MLA. Maurya lost the Sirathu assembly seat in Kaushambi in 2022 to Pallavi Patel of Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), who was then aligned with the SP. The defeat was significant because Maurya is not only deputy chief minister but one of the BJP's most prominent OBC leaders.According to BJP sources, Maurya is keen to contest from a seat other than Sirathu. Prayagraj North and Phaphamau are among the options being discussed. Maurya's political position makes his candidature important to the BJP's caste calculations. He is one of the party's prominent non-Yadav OBC faces in Uttar Pradesh and has played a significant role in its outreach to backward communities. Also, his equation with the party's state leadership has, at times, attracted attention, particularly after the BJP's 2024 setbacks.Pathak represents Lucknow Cantonment and is another important face in the state government. A Brahmin leader, he has been deputy chief minister since 2022 and part of the BJP's effort to maintain representation across different social groups within its leadership. Pathak’s candidature from his existing constituency would allow the party to keep its senior leadership visible in the electoral contest without having to make a major constituency adjustment.The electoral contest is also taking shape around a changing alliance structure. The BJP is preparing to fight the polls with partners Apna Dal (Soneylal), Nishad Party, SBSP and RLD while the SP is exploring a seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress.For the SP, the immediate task is to convert its parliamentary gains into assembly-level success capable of challenging the BJP across all regions. Akhilesh's decision not to contest means the party chief is likely to remain focused on the wider campaign and organisational strategy. The BJP's reported plan, in contrast, would put its three most prominent state leaders directly before voters.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- Ends