Lucknow: The BJP’s emphatic sweep in the Bihar Assembly election has sent ripples across Uttar Pradesh, sharpening political equations and giving Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath a decisive upper hand over his rivals.
With the NDA leading in more than 200 seats in its best-ever performance in the state, Yogi has emerged as one of the most effective campaigners, a contrast that has rattled the Opposition ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly election.
Yogi addressed 31 rallies in Bihar and 27 of the candidates he backed went on to win. His strike rate of more than 87 per cent now stands out as the most successful among star campaigners from Uttar Pradesh. Political analysts say his performance reflects a mix of calibrated Hindutva messaging, combative political rhetoric and a well-coordinated booth-level push by the NDA.
Akhilesh Yadav, on the other hand, failed to convert his Bihar outreach into electoral gains. The Samajwadi Party chief campaigned in 22 constituencies but managed to secure victory in only two, recording a strike rate of just 9 per cent.
Mayawati fared marginally better, with the BSP winning one of the five seats she canvassed for. Smaller UP-based outfits including the Azad Samaj Party, the SBSP led by Om Prakash Rajbhar and splinter groups associated with Swami Prasad Maurya were unable to retain their deposits.
Political analyst Manoj Bhadra says Yogi’s USP lies in “delivering the BJP’s core message with clarity while fusing Hindutva symbols with organisational discipline.”
Another analyst noted that his repeated references to Lord Ram, Lord Krishna and Goddess Sita during the Bihar campaign created an emotional connect with traditional BJP voters, helping the NDA consolidate its core base.
Throughout the campaign, Yogi launched a fierce attack on the Opposition.
His controversial remark likening Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav to a trio of monkeys—Pappu, Tappu and Appu—sparked a major political storm.
Senior Patna-based journalist Binay Kumar said the controversy ended up derailing the Mahagathbandhan’s early messaging on unemployment, governance and the alleged failures of the Nitish Kumar government.
“As headlines got consumed by the monkey remark, the Opposition lost valuable time clarifying their position instead of pushing their agenda. The NDA used the distraction to its advantage,” Kumar said.