NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is said to have deliberated on a host of issues, including the 2027 Assembly elections, caste equations and social engineering in the state, according to sources. Later, Yogi described the meeting as a courtesy call.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister met union minister and former BJP national president JP Nadda at his residence, triggering speculation that some major decisions related to the elections could be on the cards in the coming days.
UP is among the seven states scheduled to go to the polls for their legislative assemblies in 2027. Given the state’s considerable political importance, the election is expected to be closely contested by both the ruling BJP and the Opposition. Both the meetings lasted around an hour. Several recent developments, including Opposition allegations over the alleged theft of donations made to the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest and the ongoing controversy surrounding the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, could become political issues in the run-up to the polls.
Against this backdrop, Yogi’s meeting with the union minister is being viewed as more than a routine courtesy call. The meeting lasted for around an hour, with sources suggesting that several election-related, organisational matters and about candidatures for Rajya Sabha elections may have been discussed. Although Nadda is no longer the BJP’s national president, he continues to play an important role in the party’s organisational affairs and electoral strategy.
Sources indicated that issues concerning the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, including the selection of candidates, may have figured in the discussions. The BJP is expected to announce its candidates for the Rajya Sabha seats for which polls have been notified.
Caste dynamics have traditionally played a significant role in the Uttar Pradesh elections. The BJP has sought to consolidate support among various OBC groups alongside voters from the general category. With several recent political controversies potentially affecting different sections of the electorate, the party faces the task of maintaining its broader social coalition.
