BJP Holds Ground In UP MLC Polls, But SP’s Gains Set Up A Tighter 2027 Contest

Last Updated:October 29, 2026, 07:52 IST

The BJP retained five of the six seats it had won in 2020, while gaining one more. The SP, meanwhile, retained its three seats and added two to its tally

Uttar Pradeshh CM Yogi Adityanath (left) and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, (AFP)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained its overall lead in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections on Wednesday, but the Samajwadi Party (SP) has made gains in a closely fought contest that comes just months before the state’s 2027 assembly polls.

The BJP and the SP finished with six and five seats, respectively, among the 11 graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies that went to the polls. The results marked a gain for the SP compared with the previous election in 2020, when the party won three seats, while the BJP won six and two went to Independent candidates. The latest outcome also reflects a tighter contest between the two parties in constituencies where teachers and registered graduates form the electorate.

The BJP retained five of the six seats it had won in 2020, while gaining one more. The SP, meanwhile, retained its three seats and added two to its tally. Independent MLCs Dhruv Tripathi and Akash Agrawal, who won the Gorakhpur-Faizabad and Agra teachers’ seats in 2020, respectively, had since moved to the BJP and the SP.

BJP Retains Key Seats, SP Makes Inroads

The BJP retained the Meerut Graduates’ seat, where Dinesh Kumar Goyal won, and the Agra Graduates’ seat, where Manvendra Pratap Singh defeated his rival. In the teachers’ constituencies, the party won Lucknow, Meerut, Bareilly-Moradabad and Gorakhpur-Faizabad.

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The SP secured victories in the Agra-Aligarh Teachers’ constituency, where Akash Agrawal defeated BJP candidate Hari Kishore Tiwari, and the Varanasi Teachers’ seat, where Lal Bihari Yadav retained his seat. The party also won the Allahabad-Jhansi Graduates’ constituency, with Maan Singh Yadav emerging victorious, and the Lucknow Graduates’ seat, where Kanti Singh Patel defeated BJP incumbent Awanish Kumar Singh.

In the Varanasi Graduates’ constituency, SP candidate Ashutosh Sinha defeated BJP candidate Kedar Nath Singh, completing the party’s gains in the graduates’ seats. The BJP’s wins in the teachers’ constituencies helped it maintain its overall edge.

Akhilesh Yadav Alleges Irregularities

Reacting to the results, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the outcome had dealt a blow to the BJP. In a post on X, he said the MLC elections had “packed up the BJP’s bags and baggage”.

Yadav also accused the BJP of attempting malpractice and alleged administrative manipulation in Gorakhpur and Varanasi, constituencies associated with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, respectively.

The counting process was marked by allegations of delays and irregularities. Yadav had urged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to take cognisance of the alleged delay in counting and ensure that the results were declared transparently.

In Agra, the SP chief alleged that party candidate Akash Agrawal had been assaulted. He shared a video showing Agrawal in a torn kurta and demanded that the administration issue the candidate’s victory certificate. These allegations were made by the SP and were not independently established in the reports.

The contest is significant in the run-up to the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with both parties looking to consolidate their support ahead of the high-stakes state polls. While the BJP has retained its overall lead in the Legislative Council contest, the SP’s gains give Akhilesh Yadav’s party an opportunity to project the results as evidence of a stronger challenge to the ruling party.

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What were the final seat outcomes for the BJP and SP in the UP Legislative Council polls?

In the 11 graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies that went to the polls, the BJP finished with six seats while the SP secured five seats, reflecting a tighter contest ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.

How did the Samajwadi Party’s performance change compared to the 2020 MLC elections?

The SP made notable gains by winning five seats in the latest contest, compared to the three seats it won during the previous election in 2020.

What allegations did SP chief Akhilesh Yadav make during the counting process?

Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of administrative manipulation and malpractice in Gorakhpur and Varanasi, urged the Chief Election Commissioner to address counting delays, and claimed that SP candidate Akash Agrawal was assaulted in Agra.

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When he beat Misra

Apoorva Misra is an Associate Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers…Read More

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