Lucknow: As 2025 draws to a close, Uttar Pradesh politics is ending the year amid sustained turbulence and recalibration. Ideological assertions, alliance strains, internal dissent and personal controversies dominated the political landscape, offering early signals of how parties are positioning themselves for the battles ahead.
One of the defining moments of the year was the completion of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the religious flag atop the temple and appeared visibly emotional as the long awaited project reached its culmination. The BJP and the RSS projected the occasion as the fulfilment of a decades old commitment, reinforcing Ayodhya’s central place in the party’s ideological narrative.
The political contest around Ayodhya, however, continued. After the BJP lost the Ayodhya Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections, opposition parties questioned the party’s influence in the region. The BJP countered this by highlighting its victory in the Milkipur assembly by election, where Chandrabhanu Prasad defeated Ajit Prasad, son of SP MP Awadhesh Prasad, arguing that the parliamentary defeat was temporary.
Strains within ruling allies surfaced early in the year. Apna Dal (S) chief and Union minister Anupriya Patel and her husband, Uttar Pradesh technical education minister Ashish Patel, publicly found themselves at odds with their own government. The situation escalated when Pallavi Patel, Anupriya’s sister and an SP MLA, staged a protest outside the assembly, accusing Ashish Patel of irregular promotions and approaching the Governor.
Ashish Patel responded sharply, alleging a conspiracy to defame him and accusing the system of misusing state machinery. He claimed a coordinated effort was underway to damage his image.
The Samajwadi Party also witnessed internal turbulence. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a hard line against indiscipline, expelling three MLAs in June for cross voting in the Rajya Sabha elections held in 2024. In August, Chail MLA Pooja Pal was expelled for publicly praising Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, underlining the party leadership’s strict disciplinary stance.
Several controversies kept political discourse charged. The alleged codeine cough syrup case resonated from the state assembly to Parliament. Meetings of Thakur MLAs under the banner of Kutumb Parivar and a later Brahmin community feast put the BJP in damage control mode, forcing the leadership to reiterate organisational discipline.
The most notable revival came from BSP chief Mayawati. On Kanshi Ram’s death anniversary in October, she drew a large crowd in Lucknow, surprising observers and boosting cadre morale. Organisational reshuffles followed, along with renewed outreach to Muslim voters. Her nephew Akash Anand, after a turbulent phase, re emerged as the party’s key second rung leader.
Personal and legal flashpoints added to the churn. The suicide of NISHAD Party leader Dharmatma Nishad, Abbas Ansari’s conviction and temporary reinstatement, and SP veteran Azam Khan’s brief release and return to jail highlighted the intersection of law and politics. Public disputes involving Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad and family conflicts around Kunda MLA Raja Bhaiya also remained in focus.
Within the BJP, signs of internal unease surfaced. Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak skipped the Ayodhya Deepotsav, reportedly over issues linked to official publicity. Towards the year’s end, the party appointed Union minister Pankaj Chaudhary as state BJP president, signalling a recalibration aimed at regaining Kurmi support.
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