The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh has called a critical organisational meeting of all its Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) for Sunday. The primary agenda is to review the progress of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls. This high-level huddle comes amidst growing internal concerns that a large number of party supporters risk being excluded from the voter lists.
High-Stakes Review with Top Leadership
The meeting, set to take place in Lucknow, will witness the presence of the party's top brass in the state. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, both Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, senior state ministers, and the organisational leadership are scheduled to attend. The recently appointed UP BJP chief, Pankaj Chaudhary, who arrived in Lucknow on Saturday, will also be present.
Adding national significance to the meeting, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh and the party's national organisational election in-charge, K Laxman, are expected to be in attendance. The gathering underscores the seriousness with which the party is treating the SIR process.
Addressing Concerns Over Missing Voter Names
The urgency for this review stems from recent statements by CM Yogi Adityanath, who pointed out that a majority of the approximately four crore missing names from the electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh belong to BJP supporters. Sources indicate that Adityanath has raised alarms about potential complacency among party workers, which could lead to a significant chunk of the party's base being left out.
This administrative exercise has now taken on a political dimension, viewed as a potential organisational failure with serious electoral consequences. With the strategic landscape already being shaped for the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, ensuring all supporters are enrolled is a top priority. The party is also reportedly worried about opposition parties getting more organised at the grassroots during this SIR window.
RSS Displeasure and Extended Deadline
Further intensifying the pressure, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP, has expressed perceptible displeasure. The RSS is reportedly unhappy with the alleged callous approach of BJP MLAs and MPs in facilitating the inclusion of voter names in the rolls.
The Election Commission of India recently extended the deadline for the SIR exercise in Uttar Pradesh and five other states/Union Territories until December 26. The draft publication of the electoral rolls is set for December 31. The public can then file objections until January 30, 2026.
Political Battle Over SIR
The SIR exercise, which began earlier this year ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, entered its second phase in November for 12 states, including Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. In UP, it commenced on November 4 and was initially slated for completion within a month.
The principal opposition in the state, the Samajwadi Party, has been contesting the SIR, alleging it is an attempt to "manipulate elections" by removing their supporters from the lists. The BJP, however, maintains that it is a routine constitutional exercise aimed at revising and cleaning up the electoral rolls across the country.
Sunday's meeting is therefore poised to be a strategic intervention by the BJP leadership to galvanise its ground machinery, address internal and external concerns, and ensure the party's electoral strength is accurately reflected in the voter lists ahead of future polls.
