North Bengal and parts of west Uttar Pradesh are emerging as the bellwether regions for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the ongoing parliamentary elections. An alliance between the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) challenges the BJP in Uttar Pradesh this time. The “Modi vote” faces its real test in western Uttar Pradesh belt, which the BJP swept in the previous elections. The BJP continues to hold sway over the upper castes and lower backward communities of Uttar Pradesh, and even among Jats and non-Jatav Dalits in most parts of western Uttar Pradesh. The rallying of these votes behind the BJP could well spring a surprise in the region on May 23.

Source: Hindustan Times April 22, 2019 02:32 UTC