Uttar Pradesh, traditionally a stronghold for the BJP in the last two general elections, is now witnessing a tightly contested battle between the BJP-led NDA and the INDIA bloc, consisting of the Samajwadi Party and Congress. Currently, the INDIA bloc holds a slight lead over the NDA.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led NDA secured victory in 62 out of the state's 80 seats, with the BSP and Samajwadi Party, then in alliance, winning 10 and five seats respectively. This time, the BSP is contesting independently, adding to the complexity of the race. While the Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, is contesting 62 seats, the Congress is vying for 17 seats.
Exit polls have favored the NDA in Uttar Pradesh, projecting 64-67 seats for the BJP alone and 68-71 seats for the NDA as a whole out of the total 80 seats. However, leaders from the INDIA bloc have refuted these projections.
Polling for the 542 parliamentary constituencies occurred in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. With the Lok Sabha comprising 543 seats, a party or coalition needs to secure at least 272 seats to form the government.
In the 2019 general elections, the BJP independently secured 303 seats, while the NDA collectively won 353 seats. The Indian National Congress attained 52 seats, with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) it led achieving a total of 91 seats.