The body elections in Uttar Pradesh, expected to be held from the last week of April to May, are seen as a litmus test for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. With over a quarter of the states 150 million voters participating in the body elections, political experts consider it to be a crucial indicator of the political climate in Uttar Pradesh.Reservation of backward classes in civic electionsThe Uttar Pradesh State Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission, which was set up to determine the reservation of backward classes in civic elections, has submitted its report to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The report will now be presented in the Supreme Court, after which the election process can be initiated.Civic elections postponedThe civic elections in Uttar Pradesh were supposed to be held in January but were postponed due to the improper reservation process for backward classes. Political parties have started preparations for the body elections, seeing it as a significant event before the Lok Sabha elections.Four and a half crore voters to vote in civic electionsKishore Sinha, a political analyst, highlights that the civic elections have more than one-fourth of the total voters participating in the general elections, which amounts to about four and a half crore voters. Hence, the results of the body elections could influence the atmosphere for the Lok Sabha elections.Government not following the triple test formulaThe Yogi government announced the OBC reservation for civic body elections in December. Still, a petition was filed, stating that the government has not followed the triple test formula in releasing the OBC reservation list. The High Court had asked the government to prepare the OBC reservation list per the Supreme Court guidelines and advised them to conduct the elections without reservation. The Yogi governments move to approach the Supreme Court in this matter clearly indicates their partys intentions towards the backward classes.All political parties have become aggressive in their approach toward the politics of the backward classes, with the Samajwadi Party constantly attacking the government. Political experts believe that the results of the Uttar Pradesh civic elections will significantly impact the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
