The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
The party is soon going to launch the second phase of a survey to assess the ground-level performance of its MLAs and potential candidates, as well as the public discontent stemming from the Manikarnika Ghat incident in Prayagraj, Shankaracharya issue in Prayagraj, and the UGC bill.
According to sources, this new survey will begin in the second or third week of February. Significantly, the second phase of the survey will be conducted through a different, independent agency, while the report of the first phase is already with the party leadership. The reports from both agencies will be compared to draw conclusions, ensuring there is no scope left for any bias. The BJP has adopted this ‘double survey model’ for this very purpose.
Under this survey, the BJP will assess all 403 assembly constituencies in the state. The seats of its alliance partners will also be included in the survey. Special attention will be paid to the assembly constituencies where the RLD, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), Apna Dal (S), and Nishad Party have influence, sources within the party confirmed.
During the survey, feedback will be collected not only from MLAs but also from lower-level officials in the districts. In addition, conversations will be held with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers, and opinions will be gathered from the general public in public places and from various sections of society.
According to party sources, the survey will conduct a detailed assessment of the image, public relations, working style, and popularity of the MLAs and potential candidates. The party is preparing to further refine its organisational and electoral strategy by taking feedback from key segments such as youth, women, traders, doctors, and teachers.
The BJP leadership is keen to understand the ground realities through this survey and make necessary changes in a timely manner to ensure the party is in a strong position for the 2027 elections.
According to sources, more than 400 survey agents will be working for the assembly elections. The survey agents include political science students from Delhi University, and students from IIM Lucknow and IIT Kanpur.
A senior state official of the BJP said that conducting the survey through professionals helps in understanding the nuances of issues related to candidates, constituencies, social dynamics, internal dissent, and other matters.
The official said, “The second phase of the survey will also include various other issues. It will assess the potential damage caused by the controversy surrounding the alleged vandalism at Manikarnika Ghat, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand’s protest against the government in Prayagraj, and the discontent among the general public against the central and state governments due to the recent UGC controversy.”