The influence of Dalit voters in Uttar Pradesh

More than six months ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, political parties are already looking for issues that can help them mobilise voters. The Congress rally addressed by Mallikarjun Kharge at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani, and the puja that was performed by some people afterwards, which has been described as a shuddhikaran (purification) puja, has emerged as one such issue that the Congress is seeking to capitalise on. Though the party knows that its Dalit support in the State is minuscule, it is trying to expand its appeal among Dalit communities.

For Uttar Pradesh, however, the larger question is not simply whether political parties will try to mobilise Dalit voters — they certainly will — but how much of the Dalit vote remains transferable, and which party or alliance can attract it in big numbers to make a difference in the 2027 Assembly election?