Poster War: BJP and Samajwadi Party Clash Through Posters Ahead of 2027 UP Polls

The political battle ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has reportedly intensified, with the BJP and Samajwadi Party engaging in a poster war. The controversy followed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s meeting with jailed party leader Azam Khan in Rampur, where Yadav expressed solidarity with him. The BJP subsequently put up posters in 15 districts, including Lucknow, Ballia, Mau, Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Varanasi, Basti, Hardoi and Sitapur, targeting the Samajwadi Party. The posters featured images of Atiq Ahmed, Mukhtar Ansari and Azam Khan, using slogans that accused the SP of associating with alleged mafia figures. Some posters also used references to tea, samosas, rasgullas and ras malai to deliver political jibes. Meanwhile, posters outside the Samajwadi Party office highlighted the party’s promises for 2027, declaring that unfinished work from 2017 would be completed and featuring the hashtag “Akhilesh Yadav Again.” A Sanskrit verse conveying birthday wishes to Akhilesh Yadav was also displayed, which the report interprets as part of the party’s soft-Hindutva messaging. The developments reflect the growing use of visual messaging and political symbolism as parties prepare for the next Assembly election.