The Bharatiya Janata Party has intensified its preparations for the upcoming by-elections in Uttar Pradesh, deploying ministers in each of the nine assembly constituencies going to polls.

These assembly seats have become vacant due to resignation of the sitting MLAs after their election to the Lok Sabha. The bypoll dates are yet to be announced by the Election Commission of India, but the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh is already heating up.

The by-elections will be held for Karhal (Mainpuri), Khair (Aligarh), Kundarki (Moradabad), Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Phulpur (Prayagraj), Ghaziabad (Ghaziabad), Majhawan (Mirzapur), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar) and Milkipur (Ayodhya) assembly seats.

As per its strategy, the BJP will assign a minister to each constituency to oversee the election preparations, campaign and voter outreach. This move aims to strengthen the party’s grassroots presence and ensure a strong victory in the by-elections.

The ministers who have been assigned responsibility are Katehari (Swatantra Dev Singh and Ashish Patel), Kundarki (Suresh Khanna), Milkipur (Surya Pratap Shahi), Karhal (Jaiveer Singh), Phulpur (Rakesh Sachan), Majhawan (Anil Rajbhar), Ghaziabad (Sunil Sharma), Meerapur (Anil Kumar).

The ministers have been directed to interact with voters, listen to their concerns, and address their grievances. They will also be responsible for boosting the party’s visibility and momentum in their assigned constituencies.

“The BJP’s decision to deploy high-ranking ministers reflects the importance they place on securing victories in these by-elections,” a senior BJP leader said.

In addition to the designated ministers, the party’s state and district-level organisations are working in tandem to galvanise support among voters

The by-elections are seen as a crucial test for the BJP, after it got a drubbing in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls.

“The party is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a convincing victory, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself monitoring the preparations,” the BJP leader said.

The opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, are also gearing up for the by-elections, and the contest is expected to be intense. Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party and Azad Samaj Party of Chandrashekhar Azad will also contest the by-elections, adding a new dimension to the Dalit politics in UP.