1 day ago
Last Updated:May 20, 2025, 11:14 IST
Residents will be asked about their sitting MLAs to decide ticket distribution as the BJP, which won just 33 Lok Sabha in 2024, doesn’t want to take any chances this time
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will personally monitor the audit. (PTI)
The 2027 assembly election in Uttar Pradesh may be two years away, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already started working towards scoring a hattrick.
After a dismal performance by the party in UP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, where it won just 33 Lok Sabha seats down from 62, the BJP doesn’t want to take any chances this time.
The first question to be addressed before the party sounds its poll bugle will be how many of its sitting Member of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are worth repeating on the basis of their popularity and changing caste dynamics?
The BJP has asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to oversee an audit of all sitting MLAs and come up with a report. Usually, the party employs one or two agencies for the audit. However, this time around, it has left it to Adityanath’s discretion to make an informed decision, sources told News18.
According to the sources, the chief minister has employed multiple agencies for the audit in all 403 assembly seats. Some of the questions they will look to answer are—How the electorate perceive their MLA or in other words what is his or her image? Who exhausted the MLA fund meant for development in their area? How would the electorate rate their MLA in terms of helping sorting their problems on a scale of one to ten? If the MLA has won by a thin margin in the last election, what was the reason? If this MLA has been a second or third time MLA, what has been the track record? Most importantly, can they win from the same seat if given a chance by BJP?
The MLAs will be divided in three categories—A, B and C—with A category MLAs being the best performers and C category MLAs being the worst performers.
With Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav crediting PDA (Pichda-Dalit-Adivasi) for its spectacular performance of 37 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, agencies have been asked to fetch data that reveals the caste dynamics of each seat, News18 has learnt. The data can help BJP tie up pre-poll alliances with smaller parties that have a grip over a particular caste in few seats, sources hinted.
But what has been the biggest takeaway of the entire exercise is the growing stature of Yogi Adityanath within the BJP. The UP CM was reportedly upset with ticket distribution during the Lok Sabha polls but, this time, he seems to have been given a free hand.
However, not everyone is happy with the development. Speaking to News18, Uttar Pradesh BJP secretary Anamika Chaudhary (Nishad) said: “No wonder Yogi-ji’s stature has gone up. The process of filtration for MLAs has started. The 2027 election win will be a bumper win… I am happy that reports about MLAs are being sought in every constituency. But he should have done it much earlier. Had his leadership been there earlier, party would not have faced defeat in Lok Sabha…"
Location : First Published:News elections Appraisal Season Begins For UP MLAs Ahead Of 2027 Polls, Yogi Adityanath To Oversee Audit
