Lucknow, Feb. 10 -- The BJP in Uttar Pradesh has been working on a strategy to consolidate Hindu voters along religious lines for some time, but recent controversies have created hurdles in their efforts. Through Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's slogans like "If we are divided, we will be cut; if we remain united, we will be safe", and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "If we remain united, we will remain righteous," the party is attempting to consolidate the Hindu vote bank by transcending caste identities.
However, the new equity regulations issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the central government in 2026 have dealt a blow to this strategy, and created new unease in the state's politics. The new UGC regulations introduc...