UP Elections: The Fight Begins; Focus to Be On Farmers’ Issues, Religion And Law & Order

The Election Commission has announced the dates for forthcoming Assembly elections in five Indian states. Between February 10 and March 7, Uttar Pradesh will hold elections in seven stages. The battle for political domination in Uttar Pradesh's Hindi heartland will begin in the state's western region.

The first phase of the election will be held in this region, which is regarded as one of the most politically sensitive, inflamed, and polarised locations in the country. 

In the 2017 Assembly election too, the electoral battle had begun in western Uttar Pradesh. The  BJP won a strong mandate in the area that year, and it took that momentum to other regions of the state. 

Five years later, the BJP's fight in western Uttar Pradesh is unlikely to be easy. All contestants are aware that a strong start in 'Jaat land' would help them get closer to the key number of 202 in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on March 10, therefore the battle will be fierce. 

About The Participants 

The ruling BJP fared well in the 76 seats in this area in the last Assembly election. The BJP received 66 votes, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) received four, the Bahujan Samaj Party three, the Congress two, and the Rashtriya Lok Dal one. 

The SP ran in that election in tandem with the Congress, but failed to make a significant impact. The area has traditionally been one of the BSP's strongholds, but even Mayawati had a bad year in 2017. 

Political alignments have shifted this time, as have the concerns. The Samajwadi Party and Jayant Chaudhary's RLD are fighting together. Their seat-sharing formula has yet to be disclosed, but their recent rallies suggest that their alliance might give the BJP a tough battle in many districts of western Uttar Pradesh. 

Shivpal Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav's uncle, is also running in an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. Akhilesh Yadav may be able to avert a split in his important voter base as a result of this. The BJP, together with the Congress and the BSP, will contest the majority of seats in this region on their own. 

However, Asaddudin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen is a significant new entry in the political ring (AIMIM). Because the Muslim population in this region is roughly 26%, the party might play a significant role in numerous constituencies. 

Will Western UP Set The Standard For Rest Of The State? 

Given that Uttar Pradesh is a large state with diverse demography and concerns, it is impossible to predict if the distinctive politics of western Uttar Pradesh would have a direct influence on the outcome of the month-long seven-phase election. 

But one thing is certain: whatever party gets a head start in western Uttar Pradesh will have a leg up on the competition in the other rounds. The political climate in this region will have an impact on each party's morale and define the general agenda for the election's remaining stages.