The Changing Paradigm of Caste and Performance: A Longitudinal Study of Uttar Pradesh Politics (2017–2022)

Author(s)	Prof. Preeti Awasthi
Country	India
Abstract	This article provides an in-depth analysis of the structural shifts in the political landscape of Uttar Pradesh between the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections. Historically dominated by identity-based mobilization—specifically the "Mandal" politics of Backward Classes and the Dalit-led movement—Uttar Pradesh has transitioned into a new era where performance-based governance and "Labharthi" (beneficiary) politics intersect with traditional caste loyalty. By examining the Bhartiya Janata Party’s strategic social engineering, the decline of the Bahujan Samaj Party, and the ceiling encountered by the Samajwadi Party, this study demonstrates how the BJP successfully constructed a "rainbow coalition" of upper castes and non-dominant marginalized groups. The article concludes that while caste remains a fundamental social cleavage, its role is increasingly mediated by the delivery of welfare, perceptions of security, and symbolic representation within the power structure.
Keywords	Caste Politics, Elections, Regional Parties, Coalition Politics, Welfare Schemes, Vote Bank, Sanskritization, Identity Politics
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2025
Published On	2025-10-07
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i05.73129

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