The clout of the Other Backwards Classes (OBCs) and non-Yadav OBC leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party will be put to tough scrutiny in the last three phases of the assembly elections in eastern UP where polling will be held on February 27, and March 3 and 7.

Almost all parties have pushed OBC leaders at the helm of their campaigns and the last three phases will test their popularity. The defection of three ministers -- Swami Prasad Maurya, Dharm Singh Saini and Dara Singh Chauhan -- of non-Yadav OBCs from the Yogi Adityanath cabinet had sent ripples in states’ political spectrum. Political analysts view this as a manifestation of disillusionment of the non-Yadav OBC leaders with the BJP and the failure of the ruling party to keep its broad social coalition intact in the state.

The defection was also projected as a shot in the arm for SP as the three BJP ministers and several OBC leaders from Bahujan Samaj Party also joined the SP. This was seen as the SP’s political consolidation in managing support beyond the non-Yadav social base. The defection from BJP and BSP helped the SP to shed its Yadav tag and position itself as a more accommodative and inclusive party to challenge the hegemony of the BJP in UP.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has been playing an important role in the BJP campaign and has been vigorously campaigning for his party candidates, hopping from one constituency to another.

Maurya is contesting from Sirathu assembly constituency of Kaushambi district and is pitted against Pallavi Patel of Apna Dal (K) who is contesting on the symbol of Samajwadi Party. Pallavi is a first-time contestant but is confident that the caste arithmetic of the constituency would take her to the victory stand.

Another prominent leader whose fate will be sealed in the seventh phase of election is Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief and MLA Om Prakash Rajbhar. He is locked in a close contest with the BJP in Zahoorabad constituency in Ghazipur. The BJP has fielded another Rajbhar -- Kalicharan Rajbhar -- who will cut into the vote of the community. However, Rajbhar is facing the biggest challenge from Bahujan Samaj Party which has fielded a rebel SP candidate, Shadab Fatima. A former MLA, Fatima, is popular in the constituency and is confident of wresting the seat.

Also, Union Minister of State and Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Anupriya Patel also faces a test in the next phases of election as her party, so far, has seen a high success rate in election. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) is a Kurmi-centric party that was funded by Anupriya's father, Dr Sonelal Patel.

For NISHAD Party chief Sanjay Nishad, these elections are a make-or-break affair. He is testing waters in the election for his party in alliance with the BJP and his performance will decide the future of his relationship with the ruling party. The Nishad community has been demanding reservation in Scheduled Caste category and despite making promises, Sanjay Nishad, has failed to convince the BJP to announce the same.

For former BJP minister Swami Prasad Maurya, the election is crucial for his political future. Maurya quit the BJP to join SP last month and has shifted to a new constituency, Fazilnagar, in Kushinagar. He is contesting on a SP ticket while the BJP has fielded Surendra Kushwaha against him.  Maurya is facing a tough challenge from the BJP that is keen to defeat him and avenge his 'betrayal'.

Another OBC leader in the fray is Krishna Patel, leader of the breakaway faction of Apna Dal. She is contesting from Pratapgarh as an alliance candidate of Samajwadi Party and her faction of Apna Dal (Kamerawadi).

The OBC leadership in the Congress will also be put to test in the coming phases with UP Congress Committee chief Ajay Kumar Lallu contesting from Tamkuhiraj assembly seat of Kushinagar. Lallu is facing challenges from the SP and BJP and also from a faction within his own party.