The state of Uttar Pradesh has played a crucial role in shaping India's political landscape in every Lok Sabha election, often determining the overall outcome at the national level. With the largest number of parliamentary seats (80), the state has historically been a battleground for major political parties, witnessing intense electoral contests and shifting voter preferences. Over the past three general elections—2014, 2019, and 2024—Uttar Pradesh has seen dramatic changes, from the BJP’s overwhelming dominance in 2014 and 2019 to a significant resurgence of opposition forces in 2024.

2014 Lok Sabha elections (UP)

The 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh marked a significant political shift, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Apna Dal securing a historic victory. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by BJP, won 73 out of 80 seats, making it the dominant political force in the state. BJP alone won 71 out of the 78 seats it contested, gaining 61 more seats compared to the 2009 elections. The party secured 42.63% of the total vote share, marking a remarkable increase of 24.80% from the previous election. Apna Dal, contesting only two seats, managed to win both, contributing to the NDA's sweeping success. In contrast, the Samajwadi Party (SP), which was in power in Uttar Pradesh at the time, suffered a major setback, winning only five seats. Its vote share declined slightly to 22.20%. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which had secured 20 seats in the 2009 elections, faced a complete wipeout, failing to win a single seat. Its vote share dropped to 19.60%, a decline of 7.82%. The Indian National Congress (INC) witnessed its worst-ever performance in Uttar Pradesh, managing to win only two seats—RaeBareli and Amethi, with a vote share of just 7.50%. Similarly, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which had won five seats in 2009, failed to secure any seats in 2014. The 2014 election results in Uttar Pradesh demonstrated the overwhelming support for BJP, largely driven by the "Modi wave" and strong anti-incumbency sentiments against the Congress-led UPA government. The BJP’s massive victory reshaped the state’s political landscape, while the decline of regional and national parties highlighted a major shift in voter preferences. Uttar Pradesh played a crucial role in the BJP’s national success, significantly contributing to its majority in the Lok Sabha and paving the way for Narendra Modi to become Prime Minister.

2019 Lok Sabha elections (UP) The 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh witnessed another strong performance by the BJP-led NDA, though with a slight decline in seats compared to its 2014 landslide victory. The BJP contested 78 seats and secured 62, marking a decrease of 9 seats from the previous election. However, its vote share increased significantly to 49.98%, reflecting a 7.35% rise from 2014. Apna Dal (S), the BJP's ally, contested two seats and retained both, securing 1.21% of the votes. Overall, the NDA won 64 out of 80 seats, with a combined vote share of 51.19%. The opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), formed by the BSP, SP, and RLD, managed to improve its performance compared to 2014. The BSP, which had failed to win any seats in the previous election, made a comeback by winning 10 out of 38 contested seats, securing 19.43% of the votes. The SP, contesting 37 seats, retained 5 seats, but its vote share dropped to 18.11%. The RLD, which contested 3 seats, failed to win any, with a vote share of 1.69%. In total, the Mahagathbandhan won 15 seats, an increase of 10 seats from 2014, with a combined vote share of 39.23%. The INC, part of the UPA, continued its poor performance in Uttar Pradesh. Contesting 67 seats, the Congress managed to win only 1 seat. Its vote share fell to 6.36%. Overall, while the BJP remained the dominant force in Uttar Pradesh, the Mahagathbandhan made some gains, particularly with the BSP securing a presence in Parliament after a complete wipeout in 2014. However, the opposition's inability to consolidate votes effectively allowed the BJP to retain a stronghold in the state, significantly contributing to its national victory and Narendra Modi's re-election as Prime Minister.

2024 Lok Sabha elections (UP)

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh marked a significant political shift, with the INDIA alliance making major gains over the previously dominant NDA. The SP emerged as the leading party, securing 37 out of 62 contested seats, a remarkable gain of 32 seats compared to the previous election. SP received 33.59% of the total vote share. The INC also improved its performance, contesting 17 seats and winning 6, an increase of 5 seats from the previous election and 9.46% of the vote share. The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), contesting a single seat, secured 0.47% of the vote share but failed to win any seats. In total, the INDIA alliance secured 43 out of 80 seats, which constituted 43.52% of the total votes. On the other hand, the NDA, led by the BJP, witnessed a decline in its stronghold. The BJP contested 75 seats and won 33, reflecting a loss of 29 seats compared to the last election, the party’s vote share dropped to 41.37%. The RLD, an NDA ally, contested 2 seats and won both, receiving 1.02% of the vote share. The Apna Dal (Soneylal) [AD(S)] contested 2 seats, winning 1, with 0.92% vote share. The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) contested 1 seat but failed to secure a win, receiving 0.38% vote share. Overall, the NDA won 36 out of 80 seats, securing 43.69% of the total votes. Among other parties, the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) [ASPKR], a new entrant, contested 1 seat and won it, with 0.58% vote share. The BSP faced a severe setback, contesting 79 seats but failing to win any, it secured 9.39% of the vote share. These results indicate a major realignment in Uttar Pradesh’s political landscape, with the INDIA alliance making significant gains at the expense of the NDA, particularly the BJP, which saw a notable reduction in both its seat count and vote share.