Battlefield UP: How BJP reduced close-contest seats by half in 2017 decisive mandate 

UP has always witnessed a tri-cornered contest, with the BJP, Samajwadi Party and BSP dominating the lion’s vote share.

Come February 10 and over 15 crore voters will begin the process of electing a massive 403 legislators in the most populated state of the world’s biggest democracy. No wonder the election in Uttar Pradesh is considered the mother of all battles, as the results have massive national implications.

UP has always witnessed a tri-cornered contest, with the BJP, Samajwadi Party and BSP dominating the lion’s vote share. Congress and some smaller parties also have pockets of influence, offering voters a plethora of options. This has resulted in close contests in a large chunk of seats.