NDTV Battleground Highlights: Decoding Uttar Pradesh's Polictical Landscape

NDTV Battleground Uttar Pradesh:

"States where BJP has govt, UP is the only state where actual double-engine govt exists and we might see its impact this time. Ram Mandir construction has a huge impact on UP and has favoured BJP, NDA. They might be able to regain control," said Sandeep Shastri, Director - Academics, NITTE Education Trust.

"BJP has repeated most sitting MPs in the UP. BSP is trying to show that it is trying to harm both BJP and SP-Congress by fielding minority candidates. Seems like they are trying to harm one of the parties. Hindutva factor has huge impact in UP. SP understood this and has given Yadav tickets in its family and they have fielded most OBC candidates. 26% tickets to non-yadav OBCs. I think politics has moved from caste politics," said Amitabh Tiwari, Political Strategist.

"In the last 15 years, in India's Muslim politics, BJP which used to get single digit vote percentage is now getting double digit Muslim vote percentage. Unfortunately if Muslims vote for BJP, they are called Sarkaari Muslims," said Yashwant Deshmukh, Founder and Director, CVoter.