BJP reviewing Uttar Pradesh

Senior leadership seeks independent assessment of organisation, workers’ morale and constituency-level challenges

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with the party’s central leadership taking a more direct role in assessing its grassroots organisation and addressing vulnerabilities ahead of the polls.

The move comes amid BJP’s setback in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, following which the party began intensifying its organisational activities and seeking ground-level feedback from different regions of the state. The central leadership is also focusing on improving coordination between the state government and the party organisation while preparing to counter the challenge posed by the Samajwadi Party (SP) and its president Akhilesh Yadav.

A senior source in BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit told The Sunday Guardian that a meeting was recently held in Lucknow, attended by BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh, Uttar Pradesh incharge Vinod Tawde and other senior office-bearers and leaders. The meeting discussed the party’s roadmap for the upcoming Assembly elections and ways to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots.

According to sources, the BJP and its organisational machinery are working towards retaining power in Uttar Pradesh for a third consecutive term. The meeting focused on strengthening coordination between the government and the organisation and identifying areas where the party needs to improve ahead of the elections. As per sources, two key issues were discussed during the meeting. Firstly, the party plans to build its campaign narrative. Secondly, it wants to highlight the government’s achievements and organisational work among young voters, Dalits and backward communities. BJP leaders are also expected to use social media platforms, including reels and posts, to communicate the party’s message and counter the allegations raised by the Opposition.

As part of the organisational exercise, BJP Uttar Pradesh in-charge Vinod Tawde has begun an intensive tour of the state from September 18 to 22. During the tour, he is scheduled to cover key districts across different regions and interact directly with party workers and functionaries. According to sources, the objective of the tour is to obtain an independent assessment of the party’s organisational strength rather than relying solely on reports submitted through the state hierarchy. Tawde is expected to assess the functioning of booth committees and Shakti Kendras, besides taking feedback on the morale and motivation of local workers. In the first phase, Tawde is scheduled to visit the Gorakhpur, Kashi and Awadh regions, while the second phase will cover Kanpur, Bundelkhand and western Uttar Pradesh.

The regions have a substantial electoral footprint. West Uttar Pradesh and Kashi account for 71 Assembly seats each, while Awadh has 82, Gorakhpur 62 and Kanpur 52. Notably, the party’s performance across many of these regions took a hit during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, prompting the party’s central leadership to initiate a detailed organisational review ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Particular attention is being accorded to the Awadh and Kanpur-Bundelkhand regions, which together account for 134 Assembly seats.

Senior BJP leaders have already conducted detailed strategic reviews with local MPs and MLAs in Kanpur to assess the factors behind the party’s electoral setbacks in the region during the Lok Sabha polls. The central leadership is now seeking a more granular assessment of the ground situation, with organisational weaknesses, voter sentiment, local issues and the performance of elected representatives expected to remain key areas of focus. During his tour, Tawde will hold meetings with party workers and officebearers at the regional and district levels. He is also expected to take stock of election preparations, hear grievances among workers and gather feedback on the functioning of the organisation.

Sources said the BJP incharge will seek inputs on the political environment in individual constituencies, caste equations, the performance of sitting MLAs, the Opposition’s position and the prospects of potential candidates. Meanwhile, one of the key messages being conveyed to prospective candidates is that ticket aspirants should establish a visible presence on the ground instead of relying on lobbying in New Delhi, sources said.

According to a source, Tawde has indicated that performance, organisational work and local popularity will be important factors in determining the party’s candidates. The message comes at a time when several senior leaders are reportedly seeking tickets for family members. The party is expected to gather constituency-level feedback on election preparedness, local caste equations, the performance of incumbent legislators and the standing of Opposition parties.

The feedback will subsequently be used to fine-tune the BJP’s election strategy. A political analyst told The Sunday Guardian that the BJP’s immediate organisational challenge in Uttar Pradesh is to address differences among public representatives, party workers and sections of the organisation while simultaneously recalibrating its political agenda for the 2027 elections.

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