Lucknow: As the Gen Z-led protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar continue to dominate political discourse, the Uttar Pradesh government is closely monitoring developments amid concerns that the movement could spill over into the state ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
Speaking at an event in Gorakhpur on Wednesday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress of “spreading hatred and provoking students”.
“The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress are spreading hatred among students and instigating them,” the chief minister said, sparking buzz that his government is getting jittery about the growing protest.
According to functionaries at the Chief Minister’s Office, the Uttar Pradesh Police has been directed to remain on high alert and ensure that any protests do not escalate into large-scale demonstrations. Officials have also been instructed to contain protests at the earliest.
It’s working, so far. Recent demonstrations against alleged examination paper leaks in Prayagraj and Kanpur were dispersed within hours.
With protests over paper leaks being reported from several parts of the state, the question is whether the movement would have a bearing on the assembly elections early next year.
The state administration doesn’t think so. A senior functionary at the CM’s Office told ThePrint that the Jantar Mantar protests are unlikely to significantly influence electoral politics in the state.
He said: “Paper leak is an issue, but law and order remains a much bigger concern for voters. People believe they are safer under the Yogi government. During the Samajwadi tenure, there were concerns over crime and extortion. The administration has adequate arrangements to prevent any protest from growing into a major movement. Chief Minister Yogi has the image of a strict administrator who does not tolerate any form of unrest.”
Experts see impact
UP-based political analyst Professor Kaviraj believes national protests often have political consequences, particularly when they involve young voters.
“National level protests generate widespread discussion and often leave an impact. This movement is being driven by young people, many of whom are first- or second-time voters. For them, the issue itself is paramount, and they are focused on it. This presents a challenge for the incumbent governments, especially in the five states going to elections in the coming months. One cannot rule out the possibility of the movement influencing politics in Uttar Pradesh as well,” he told ThePrint.
Dr Shilp Shikha Singh, an assistant professor at Lucknow’s Giri Institute of Development Studies, believes it is too early to predict any electoral impact because political narratives often take shape closer to elections.
According to her, “Paper leaks were also an issue during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but the Samvidhan Bachao (Save the Constitution) narrative overshadowed it. Only as the 2027 Assembly elections approach will it become clear which narrative resonates more strongly with voters,” she said.
SP plans Gen Z outreach
After SP Member of Parliament Dimple Yadav’s active participation in the Jantar Mantar protests, the Samajwadi Party plans to take the issue across the state through an outreach programme titled ‘Gen Z Samvad’, under which party chief Akhilesh Yadav will interact with young people in different districts. As per SP functionaries, Akhilesh Yadav has reached Lucknow to finalise this plan.
Speaking to ThePrint, SP spokesperson Manoj Kaka said the movement has already reached households across the state “Every home in Uttar Pradesh has Gen Z youth. They are aware of the issues and are worried about their future. Paper leaks, expensive education and rising unemployment are major concerns for them. They will not stop now, and they will vote against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We will also present our view,” he said.
Congress state spokesperson Sudhanshu Bajpai said the Gen Z movement will influence the upcoming elections. “The Gen Z protests will certainly have an electoral impact. We are planning a joint protest in Uttar Pradesh on the lines of Jantar Mantar. It will not be held under the banner of any political party but with the support of civil society so that ordinary citizens can participate,” he said.
BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi argued that similar predictions had been made before previous elections, but failed to materialise. “During the farmers’ protest, the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act movement and the Covid crisis, it was repeatedly claimed that these issues would affect the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. That did not happen, and the results were in our favour. This time too, the Opposition may try to build a narrative, but the outcome will once again favour the BJP,” he said.
Even as the Opposition attempts to mobilise youth around issues such as paper leaks and unemployment, the BJP appears determined to frame the election around governance and law and order.
In his Gorakhpur speech, CM Yogi Adityanath accused the previous Samajwadi Party government of irregularities in recruitment by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission. He alleged that 56 out of 86 posts had been awarded to candidates from a single caste, and that an ineligible candidate had been made the topper. He also accused Opposition parties of dividing society on caste lines, spreading hatred through fake social media accounts and provoking students.
The chief minister further said that the Opposition’s sympathies lay with mafias rather than ordinary citizens. “Today Uttar Pradesh is mafia-free, goonda-free, riot-free and curfew-free. The Opposition is unable to accept this transformation because during its rule the state witnessed riots, curfews, looting and lawlessness.”
Sources close to the chief minister said references to the alleged failures of the previous SP government will continue to feature prominently in his campaign speeches. According to them, the BJP’s strategy is to frame the 2027 election as a choice between ‘Yogi Adityanath’s tough governance’ and ‘lawlessness of the Samajwadi Party era’.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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