Milkipur bypolls: BJP readies battle plan to avenge Faizabad defeat

Milkipur is more than just a by-election—it is a prestige battle for the BJP.

In the 2024 general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) banked heavily on the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, expecting a clean sweep in the region. However, in a stunning upset, the party lost the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat—where Ayodhya is located—to the Samajwadi Party (SP). The victory of SP’s Awadhesh Prasad not only energised the opposition but also served as a symbolic blow to the BJP’s Hindutva-driven campaign. Adding insult to injury, Awadhesh Prasad was given a front-row seat in the Lok Sabha, a move seen as a direct taunt to the ruling party.

The Milkipur assembly by-election has become a battleground for BJP’s revenge. The seat fell vacant after Awadhesh Prasad resigned as MLA upon his election to the Lok Sabha. Determined to reclaim lost ground, the BJP has mounted an aggressive campaign, making the contest a prestige fight between Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Battle of strategies: Hindutva vs. PDA

The BJP has adopted a two-pronged approach in Milkipur: reinforcing its Hindutva narrative while attempting to fracture SP’s Picchda-Dalit-Alpsankhyak (PDA) voter base. The party surprised many by fielding Chandrabhan Paswan, a local leader from the Pasi community, denying tickets to sitting MLAs Baba Gorakhnath and Ramu Priyadarshi. This strategic move aims to win over the Scheduled Caste (SC) vote, which was crucial to SP’s victory in Faizabad.

Meanwhile, SP is relying on its trusted PDA formula and has fielded Ajeet Prasad, son of Awadhesh Prasad, to consolidate its backward caste and Dalit support. The contest is shaping up as a direct test of caste-based electoral strategies versus BJP’s Hindutva-driven mobilization.

Recognizing the significance of Milkipur, CM Yogi Adityanath has personally led the campaign, visiting the constituency seven times and deploying seven ministers to oversee election management. His speeches have been aggressive, positioning SP as "anti-Sanatan," furthering BJP’s narrative of Hindu consolidation.

On the other hand, SP has accused the BJP of using state machinery to manipulate the elections. The party has filed complaints with the Election Commission, demanding webcasting at all polling booths and the removal of certain Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and presiding officers allegedly working in BJP’s favor. The BJP has dismissed these claims, countering that SP has already conceded defeat.

Despite pressing local concerns like stray cattle destroying crops and unemployment, the election discourse remains dominated by caste equations. In Pure Rajaram village, many farmers have resorted to electric fencing to protect their mustard crops, yet their voting preference leans towards candidates from their own caste.

At a roadside tea stall, Om Prakash, a local resident, hesitates to reveal his vote but admits that employment and cattle menace are pressing concerns. In Acchora village, Manoj Yadav echoes a common sentiment: “Development is only possible if the MLA is from the ruling party.” Meanwhile, Karan Singh, another villager, confidently predicts a landslide victory for BJP’s Chandrabhan Paswan, stating, “I am not a BJP supporter, but this time, Paswan is winning.”

Why Milkipur iss BJP’s revenge quest

Milkipur is more than just a by-election—it is a prestige battle for the BJP. After losing Faizabad despite its Ram Mandir push, the party is desperate to prove that its Hindutva appeal remains intact. Winning Milkipur would serve as a message that the Scheduled Caste vote, particularly the Pasi community, is not entirely in SP’s fold and that its PDA strategy is losing steam.

CM Yogi Adityanath’s intense focus on the seat underscores its importance. His frequent visits, ministerial deployments, and direct attacks on SP indicate that BJP views Milkipur as a redemption opportunity. Moreover, a BJP win here would be a psychological boost ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, reinforcing the party’s dominance in Ayodhya’s political landscape.

For Akhilesh Yadav, a loss in Milkipur would signal cracks in the PDA coalition and raise questions about SP’s ability to sustain its recent electoral gains. With both parties treating this by-election as a do-or-die battle, Milkipur has emerged as the most-watched contest among the ten assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.

Adding to BJP’s confidence is its recent electoral performance—out of the nine by-elections held in Uttar Pradesh, the party has won seven, further solidifying its grip on the state’s politics.

In the end, the by-election will not just decide the fate of a legislative seat but will also set the tone for the larger political contest between BJP and SP in Uttar Pradesh’s future electoral battles.