New Delhi sources stated that the elections to the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP will be held in seven phases. Reportedly the election will travel from West to East; that is constituencies bordering National Capital Delhi will vote first and the last phase will be held mid-May in seats contiguous to Bihar.
Meanwhile empirical evidence over the last 15 years suggests outcome both in assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh may also depend on (apart from other factors) whether the states votes from West to East or vice-versa. Furthermore in the run-up to the 2014 general election, a BJP functionary closely associated with the elections management was keeping his fingers crossed till the announcement of poll dates. Further polling in the last general elections traveled from West to East, culminating in the Poorvanchal region with two high-stakes battles in Varanasi (Narendra Modi) and Azamgarh (Mulayam Singh Yadav).
The BJP functionary told “All other factors remaining constant, it is important at times for a party in multi-phased polls to do well in the first couple of phases". He said “Western UP, post the riots, was our stronghold. A good performance here helped us build momentum with each passing phase to outclass our opponents in areas where we have been traditionally weak”. As per report the 2019 elections are different from 2014 in the sense that the BJP faces a higher index of opposition unity in UP and it is in power both at the Centre and the state and two years of the Yogi government.
