In the politically decisive state of Uttar Pradesh, the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections marked a high-stakes electoral battle. The BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, launched a vigorous campaign against the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), which they accused of engaging in dynasty and appeasement politics. The BJP also criticized the Opposition for declining an invitation to the Ram Temple inauguration.
The SP, with a significant presence in this phase, vehemently promoted its demand for a caste census and asserted that the BJP intended to abolish reservation. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also sought to make its presence felt in several constituencies.
In Sambhal, which has a sizeable Muslim electorate, the SP’s Zia Ur Rahman Barq faced a tough challenge from the BJP’s Parmeshwar Lal Saini. Hathras, a Scheduled Caste-reserved constituency, saw a contest between the SP’s Jasveer Valmiki and the BJP’s Anoop Pradhan.
This phase also witnessed a test for the SP’s first family, with Dimple Yadav contesting from Mainpuri, Akshay Yadav from Firozabad, and Aditya Yadav from Badaun. In Mainpuri, an SP stronghold, sitting MP Ms. Yadav faced Jaiveer Singh of the BJP. In Firozabad, the BJP candidate Chandra Sen Jadon contested against Mr. Akshay Yadav.
The election campaign in these constituencies was marked by fiery rhetoric, with Mr. Shah questioning the SP president Akhilesh Yadav’s alleged dynastic politics. He challenged the SP to find ‘Yadav’ candidates outside the family. In response, Mr. Yadav dismissed the BJP as the ‘most dangerous family’ not only in India but globally. He also accused the BJP of attempting to end reservation while seeking votes.
The third phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh highlighted the intense political rivalry between the BJP and SP, with both parties fighting tooth and nail for every seat. The outcome of this phase will have significant implications for the final electoral landscape in the country.
