As the Bharatiya Janata Party recasts the ‘jungle raj’ narrative against the Samajwadi Party in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the question arises as to whether the principal Opposition party in the state will be able to counter the pitch.
Inaugurating development projects in Gonda on November 2, Adityanath addressed younger voters—those now aged 25 to 28 and who were under 15 during the last SP government—and urged them to ask their parents about the curfews and riots, how houses of the poor were looted, how employment was lost, and how the safety of women and girls was compromised. Union home minister Amit Shah reinforced this line, stressing law and order, corruption, and alleged lawlessness as key attack points against the SP while outlining the BJP’s 2027 roadmap at the party’s state working committee meeting on October 30 in Lucknow. Perhaps wary of the BJP ploy this time, Akhilesh Yadav, after recent Legislative Council election successes, instructed workers against holding victory processions or creating any public commotion. He warned of potential conspiracies and false allegations designed to tarnish the party’s image ahead of the assembly polls.
The ruling party strategists are building a “then versus now” campaign that highlights safer streets, reduced organised crime, and investment inflows under chief minister Yogi Adityanath, aiming to neutralise the SP’s caste-based PDA outreach by focusing on governance. The BJP strategy was reflected when Adityanath called the Samajwadi Party a “shraap” (curse) on Uttar Pradesh, alleging that every time it came to power it brought crime, anarchy, riots and chaos.
Law and order remains one of the BJP’s strongest planks, especially among women, urban professionals, and first-time voters who have little direct memory of the earlier era. Last year, the ‘jungle raj’ campaign played out during the assembly polls in Bihar where Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly highlighted provocative Bhojpuri and Magahi songs circulating among RJD supporters.
