India, Oct. 3 -- In the 2024 national polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) seats in Uttar Pradesh fell from 62 out of 80 in 2019 to 33, as the party's overall tally dropped below the majority mark in parliament. The Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 37 seats, up from 32, and the Congress increased its count to six seats from one. In 2014, the BJP won 71 seats. Three years later, it swept to power in the state, winning 312 out of 403 assembly seats.

Ahead of the 2022 assembly polls, chief minister Yogi Adityanath sought to make it an "80% versus 20%" election, in what was seen as an attempt to consolidate Hindu votes. Hindus roughly account for the state's 80% population, and Muslims 20%.

The BJP swept back to power in 2022. Two years lat...