New Delhi: Narendra Modi's BJP holds not a single of the 15 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh that votes today in the eighth phase of polling. This region, which includes
Rahul Gandhi's Amethi seat, was dominated by the Congress in the last election, contributing seven to its tally of 22 seats in state.
Mayawati's BSP had won five and the Samajwadi Party led by Mulayam Singh Yadav had won two. (
Truth vs Hype - Contenders 2014, The Mayawati Factor) (
Key Contestant: Nirmal Khatri)
UP is critical to the BJP's ambition of unseating the Congress-led UPA at the Centre. It sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. In the last national election, the BJP had won 10 of those. This time it is eyeing 50 seats, according to Amit Shah, the man in charge of the BJP's UP strategy. (
Key Contestant: Ratna Singh)
Under Mr Modi, the BJP is expected to win the maximum seats in the national election; UP is expected to follow that trend. The Congress, led by Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, is battling the prediction that it could register its worst performance ever. (
Opinion: Modi in Amethi, an Amit Shah Master-Move)
In 2009, the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi in a flat-out effort, leveraged a Kurmi-Upper Caste-Muslim vote combination to win its seven seats of the 15 polling on Wednesday, all in central UP. (
Key Contestant: Mohammed Kaif)
It had not only retained Amethi, where Rahul Gandhi had won by a staggering margin of 3.70 lakh votes, but also walked away with the adjoining constituencies of Sultanpur and Pratapgarh. The party's candidates had also won from Faizabad, which includes the temple town of Ayodhya. Union minister
Beni Prasad Verma, a powerful Kurmi leader, was elected from Gonda.
Five years later, Mr Gandhi faces a tough contest to retain his seat, considered a Gandhi bastion as it has been held in previous decades by various members of his family, including his father and mother. (
From Amethi: Narendra Modi Brings Battle to Gandhi Doorstep)
On Monday, Mr Modi campaigned for Smriti Irani, the BJP's candidate against Mr Gandhi, launching an all-out war on the Gandhi family in Amethi. (
In Amethi Not For Badla (revenge), But For Badlav (change): Narendra Modi)
Amit Shah, tasked with rebuilding the BJP's organizational base in UP, has reportedly managed to wean back the Upper Castes and the non-Yadav OBCs. The non-Jatav Dalits are also showing signs of rallying behind Narendra Modi. (
Watch: Battle for Amethi - For Once a Real Fight?)
The BJP has fielded its general secretary Varun Gandhi from Sultanpur, which is located right next to Amethi.