BJP, SP lock horns over slogans ahead of UP by-polls

Lucknow: With by-elections for nine Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh approaching, an intense slogan war has erupted between the ruling BJP and the opposition Samajwadi Party (SP).

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the first strike, urging Hindus to unite under the slogan “Batenge toh Katenge” (if divided, we will be defeated), calling for unity among Hindu voters.

The slogan has rattled the Samajwadi Party, which is promoting its caste-based coalition under the banner of PDA (Pichda-Dalit-Alpsankhyak – Backward Classes, Dalits, and Minorities). The BJP has seized upon this, accusing the SP and the INDIA alliance of attempting to divide Hindus and unite Muslims for political gain.

In response, the Samajwadi Party has launched a counter-slogan, “Judenge toh Jeetenge” (united, we will win), accompanied by a series of posters emphasising unity. The SP aims to counter the BJP’s Hindu consolidation efforts as the November 13 polling day nears.

SP President Akhilesh Yadav criticised the BJP’s slogan, describing it as “negative” and symbolic of “desperation and failure.” In a series of social media posts, he asserted, “Their negative slogan reflects their fear and disappointment, as they attempt to cling to their remaining 10 per cent support through fear-mongering tactics. Our ideal state is based on ‘Abhaya’ (fearlessness), not on fear.” Yadav went on to call the slogan “the worst in history” and a sign of the BJP’s political decline, urging the ruling party to adopt a positive vision for the country’s future.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya ridiculed Yadav’s PDA coalition, calling it an “illusion” and a front for “familyism, riots, and crime,” contrasting it with BJP’s version of PDA: “Progress, Development, and Good Governance.”

Maurya claimed the BJP’s PDA represents a commitment to a corruption-free, development-driven India, asserting that the people now understand who truly upholds these values.

His post included hashtags like #Path_of_Development, #GoodGovernance, and #Corruption_Free_India.

As the campaign window closes on November 11, the BJP has deployed ministers across the nine constituencies, intensifying its outreach, while the SP has largely held back, aside from activity in Karhal.

However, the campaign is expected to escalate in the coming days as the festival season wraps up.

With both parties trading slogans and criticism, the stage is set for a high-stakes by-election that could test the strength of caste coalitions, religious appeals, and the broader political strategies of the BJP and SP in Uttar Pradesh.