Grand majority In 2027: Yogi Adityanath confident of BJP's return in UP

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said the BJP's "double-engine" government would secure a comfortable victory in the 2027 polls, and claimed that faith in the state was being linked to economic prosperity. He said the party would return to power "with a grand majority" and that beneficiaries of welfare and development schemes would support it in the next year's Assembly election.

Speaking at the Aaj Tak Panchayat in Mathura, Adityanath also said Uttar Pradesh had become investment-friendly, highlighted tourism in the Braj region and the wider state, and claimed his government had created jobs and tightened laws against paper leaks.

He also attacked the previous Samajwadi Party government over alleged restrictions on religious events and alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

Adityanath said he had made a similar prediction before the 2022 elections and expressed confidence that young people, women, farmers and Dalits who had benefited from government schemes would again vote for the BJP.

"The beneficiaries of our programmes, be it youth, women, farmers or Dalits, will vote for us in next year's Vidhan Sabha election," he said.

Referring to the state's religious and cultural heritage, he said it had opened up major scope for tourism and economic activity, and cited the Braj region as an example.

"Last year alone, 11 crore devotees and tourists came to the Braj region. And if I talk about Uttar Pradesh, in 2025, 156 crore devotees came to Uttar Pradesh," he said.

Adityanath said this footfall had given the country and the world a new experience of linking faith with the economy.

"This transformation is the result of a change in approach. Those who do not run away from challenges, but see possibilities in those challenges and take those possibilities towards solutions, establish new benchmarks of success," he said.

Targeting the previous SP government, Adityanath alleged it had failed to understand public sentiment and claimed that before 2017, celebrations of Krishna Janmashtami in police stations and jails had been prohibited.

He also alleged that the earlier government had stopped the Kanwar Yatra. "We not only reinstated the yatra but also ensured the playing of DJ, bells and conch shells," he said, adding that it was now taking place in a devotional atmosphere.

He claimed around 5 crore Kanwariyas took part in this year's Kanwar Yatra and that "there was no untoward incident". He added that he had directed that Shri Krishna Janmashtami be celebrated at police stations, jails and other important public places.

The Chief Minister said Uttar Pradesh had emerged as an investment-friendly state and that investors following government policy were eligible for incentives.

"We have facilities for investment, skilling and employment. Everything is online now," he said. Adityanath claimed his government had provided employment to 9.5 lakh youths. Taking a swipe at the previous SP government over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, he said, "Those who were involved in chit leaks are involved in paper leaks."

He claimed paper leaks had been curbed through strict laws under which the guilty could face life imprisonment and confiscation of property. He also alleged that during the SP tenure, unfair means and violations in the recruitment process were treated as a "birthright", and said there was "chaos everywhere" and "chits were more important than talent".

He further accused earlier governments of giving precedence to "fatwas over wisdom" and said appeasing one family had been prioritised over Indian heritage.

Adityanath summed up his remarks by saying the BJP would return with a strong mandate, while presenting Uttar Pradesh as a state where religious tourism, investment, jobs and stricter recruitment rules had brought change. "Uttar Pradesh has come out of it now," he said.