In Uttar Pradesh, the political battle to bring women voters into its fold before the 2027 assembly elections is intensifying. Women, who once voted less than men, have now become a major force influencing election results. While only 41.92 percent women voted in UP in 2007, this figure increased to 62.24 percent in the 2022 assembly elections. This increase of about 20 percentage points in women voting shows how important the political participation of half the population has become. There are more than 6 crore 9 lakh women voters in the state. BJP sees this as its strong base, while Samajwadi Party and Congress are preparing to make a dent in this vote bank. In such a situation, the big question is whether the opposition will be able to challenge the women vote bank of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath?
The voting figures of the last assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh tell the story of increasing participation of women voters. In the year 2007, the voting percentage of women was 41.92 percent, while the voting percentage of men was 49.35 percent. After this, in 2012, female voting increased to 60.28 percent and the male voter turnout was 58.68 percent. That is, for the first time, women registered their strong presence in the electoral picture by voting more than men.
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In the 2017 assembly elections, female voting reached approximately 63.3 percent, while male voting was approximately 59.2 percent. In 2022, women's voting was recorded at 62.24 percent, while the men's figure was 59.56 percent. That is, since 2012, the participation of women voters has remained more than that of men continuously. These figures show that women are no longer just a group taking part in the electoral process, but are also a voter class with the ability to change the equation of victory and defeat of political parties. This is the reason why all the major parties are keeping women voters at the center of their strategy before the 2027 elections.
6.09 crore women voters in UP
According to the final voter list of Uttar Pradesh 2026, there are a total of 13 crore 39 lakh 44 thousand 792 voters in the state. Of these, 6 crore 9 lakh 9 thousand 525 are women voters. The share of women in the total voters is about 45.46 percent. The presence of such a large number of women voters directly affects the election strategy.
However, the number of women on the voter list and the percentage of women voting are different figures. It is not certain that any one party will get the support of all the women voters. Their preferences may change according to the region, social condition and local problems. Nevertheless, the increasing participation of women voters has forced political parties to rethink their old strategies. Now the question is not only about solving caste equations, but also about winning the trust of women on the basis of their safety, economic condition and experiences related to government schemes.
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BJP's hold strengthened with women vote bank
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP has been presenting women's safety, law and order and government welfare schemes as its major achievements. The party also considers the strategy of providing benefits of ration, Ujjwala scheme, housing and other schemes directly to the families as its political strength. In the 2022 assembly elections, BJP got more support from women voters than men. According to the post-poll survey of Lokniti-CSDS, 48 percent women supported BJP, while among male voters this figure was 44 percent. This difference underlined the importance of women vote bank in the elections. Women's safety and action against criminals have been major issues in BJP's strategy. The party links these steps to increasing security confidence among women. However, inflation, employment, health facilities and local problems may also influence voters' decisions in the upcoming elections.
SP eyes women vote with the help of Dimple Yadav
Samajwadi Party wants to increase its political reach to challenge BJP's strong women vote bank. MP Dimple Yadav is among the prominent women leaders of the party. The presence of women leaders like Iqra Hasan and Priya Saroj along with them also gives SP an opportunity to increase dialogue among women. SP is trying to increase its acceptance by raising issues like women's safety, respect, employment and economic empowerment. Proposals like providing financial assistance to women can also play an important role in the election debate. But the biggest challenge before the party is to strengthen its credibility. BJP has been continuously raising questions regarding the law and order of the previous SP regime. In such a situation, SP will have to clarify what concrete steps will be taken to improve the safety and economic condition of women if its government is formed.
Congress's bet through Aradhana Mishra
Congress has given the message of taking women leadership forward by giving the responsibility of state president to Aradhana Mishra 'Mona'. The party is trying to strengthen its political ground through the issues of women's rights, security and empowerment. However, Congress also faces the challenge of strengthening the organization. Along with taking women leadership forward, the party will have to increase activism at the booth level and continuously work on the local problems of women. A change in leadership definitely sends a political message, but its electoral benefits can be achieved only if it also changes the trust of the voters.
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With whom will half the population go in 2027?
The increasing percentage of women voting in Uttar Pradesh shows that it will not be easy to achieve electoral success by ignoring half the population. BJP will try to protect its strong women support, while SP and Congress will make strategies to make a dent in this base. Along with security, inflation, employment, education, health and benefits of government schemes can also be important in the decision of women voters. Due to the different priorities of women in different areas, it would be too early to assume the attitude of the entire women vote bank as fixed on the basis of any one issue or political face. The attitude of more than 6.09 crore women voters in the 2027 elections has the potential to change the equation of power. While BJP faces the challenge of maintaining its support, the biggest test for SP and Congress will be to build trust among women voters.