The Samajwadi Party (SP), led by Akhilesh Yadav, has scored a significant victory in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, in the 2026 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections. The party retained the Varanasi Teachers’ seat and was poised for a decisive win in the Varanasi Graduates’ constituency, dealing a political setback to the BJP ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The SP also won the Agra Teachers’ constituency, while the BJP maintained an overall advantage across the state, winning five seats and leading in another. Elections were held for 11 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats, with the results offering political parties an indication of local support and organisational strength ahead of next year’s Assembly polls.
SP Retains Varanasi Teachers’ Seat by 4,898 Votes
In the Varanasi Teachers’ constituency, SP candidate Lal Bihari Yadav defeated BJP’s Pramod Kumar Mishra by 4,898 votes. The result marked a significant improvement from the 2020 election, when Mishra, contesting as an Independent, lost to Yadav by just 936 votes.
Meanwhile, SP candidate Ashutosh Sinha was set for a decisive victory over BJP candidate Kedar Nath Singh in the Varanasi Graduates’ constituency.
Yadav credited the party’s performance to Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership, saying teachers had strongly supported the Samajwadi Party.
Speaking to ANI, he said the party had been able to contest strongly across Uttar Pradesh because of its national president’s positive approach. He also compared Akhilesh’s relationship with teachers to that of his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was popularly known among supporters as ‘Netaji’.
Yadav also said the controversy surrounding the University Grants Commission (UGC) Bill had not influenced the election, arguing that voters concerned about job security had remained with the SP.
What Are Teachers’ and Graduates’ Constituencies?
Teachers’ and Graduates’ constituencies are part of Legislative Council elections in states that have a bicameral legislature, comprising a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council.
Unlike regular Assembly elections, these constituencies have restricted electorates. Registered teachers can vote in teachers’ constituencies, while eligible registered graduates vote in graduates’ constituencies.
The system was intended to provide representation to specific groups, including educators and graduates, within the legislative process. Voting uses a preferential system rather than the standard method used in general elections.
Because the electorate is limited, the results can offer insight into the political preferences of particular professional and educated groups, although they do not necessarily reflect the wider electorate’s mood.
Why the Varanasi Result Matters Ahead of 2027
The SP’s performance in Varanasi has added political significance because the city is closely associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Party leaders have presented the victory as a morale boost ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Some SP leaders have also pointed to Modi’s reduced victory margin in the 2024 Lok Sabha election compared with 2014 and 2019. In 2024, Modi defeated Congress candidate Ajay Rai by more than 1.5 lakh votes after initially trailing.
Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the BJP over its treatment of teachers and said their grievances could influence the next Assembly election. In a social media post, he urged teachers to fulfil their ‘Guru Sankalp’ by defeating the BJP in 2027.
Congress leader Srivatsa similarly described the BJP’s defeat in Modi’s constituency as politically significant, highlighting the support received by the SP among teachers and graduates.
BJP Maintains Overall Edge Across Uttar Pradesh
Despite its losses in Varanasi and Agra, the BJP performed strongly across other parts of Uttar Pradesh. It won the Lucknow Teachers’, Meerut-Saharanpur Teachers’, Bareilly-Moradabad Teachers’ and Meerut-Saharanpur Graduates’ constituencies, along with another seat.
The outcome therefore presents a mixed picture: the BJP retained an overall advantage, while the SP made notable gains in constituencies that could strengthen its confidence before the 2027 Assembly elections.
Although MLC results are not a direct measure of public opinion across the state, the SP’s strong showing in Varanasi gives the opposition party a political talking point in the BJP’s stronghold. Whether this translates into broader electoral gains will become clearer as Uttar Pradesh moves towards its next Assembly election.
