This report looks at how the BJP performed in the 8 assembly seats of Varanasi district in the 2017 and 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections. According to Election Commission of India data, the party won 6 of these seats in 2017 and 7 in 2022. In 2022 its share of all valid votes cast across the district’s seats was 42.10%, as calculated by UP Election News from seat wise figures.
BJP in Varanasi: seat wise position
| Seat | 2017 | 2022 | 2022 votes | 2022 share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pindra (384) | Won | Won | 84,325 | 38.23% |
| Ajagara (385) | Not in top three | Won | 1,01,088 | 41.25% |
| Shivpur (386) | Won | Won | 1,15,231 | 45.76% |
| Rohaniya (387) | Won | Not in top three | – | – |
| Varanasi North (388) | Won | Won | 1,34,471 | 54.61% |
| Varanasi South (389) | Won | Won | 99,622 | 50.88% |
| Varanasi Cantt. (390) | Won | Won | 1,47,833 | 60.63% |
| Sevapuri (391) | Not in top three | Won | 1,05,163 | 47.60% |
Table: UP Election News. Data: Election Commission of India. For 2017 the ECI top three candidates are used.
Seats the BJP won in 2022
In Pindra, Awadhesh Kumar Singh won by 35,559 votes over the BSP candidate Babulal, a comfortable win. In Ajagara, Tribhuwan Ram won by 9,160 votes over the SBSP candidate Sunil Sonkar, a moderately close contest. In Shivpur, Anil Rajbhar won by 27,687 votes over the SBSP candidate Arvind Rajbhar, a comfortable win. In Varanasi North, Ravindra Jaiswal won by 40,776 votes over the SP candidate Ashfaque, a comfortable win. In Varanasi South, Dr. Neelkanth Tiwari won by 10,722 votes over the SP candidate Kameshwar alias Kishan Dixit, a moderately close contest. In Varanasi Cantt., Saurabh Srivastava won by 86,844 votes over the SP candidate Pooja Yadav, a one sided contest. In Sevapuri, Neel Ratan Singh won by 22,531 votes over the SP candidate Surendra Singh Patel, a comfortable win.
The 2017 wins
In 2017 the BJP won Pindra, where Avadhesh Singh defeated the BSP by 36,849 votes; Shivpur, where Anil Rajbhar defeated the SP by 54,259 votes; Rohaniya, where Surendra Narayan Singh defeated the SP by 57,553 votes; Varanasi North, where Ravindra Jaiswal defeated the Congress by 45,502 votes; Varanasi South, where Dr. Neelkanth Tiwari defeated the Congress by 17,226 votes; Varanasi Cantt., where Saurabh Srivastava defeated the Congress by 61,326 votes. Not all of these seats were retained in 2022.
Reading the numbers
Compared with 2017, the BJP gained 1 seat in Varanasi. Statewide, the BJP’s tally went from 312 seats to 255, so the district result can be read against that broader trend. Vote share also matters: a party can lose seats while still holding a large base of votes, which can be decisive in close contests in 2027.
The statewide picture
Across the state, the BJP won 312 seats in 2017 and 255 in 2022, while the Samajwadi Party rose from 47 to 111 seats. The BSP fell from 19 seats to 1, and the Congress from 7 to 2. Allies on both sides, such as Apna Dal (Soneylal), the NISHAD Party, the RLD and the SBSP, also won seats in 2022.
How the UP assembly is elected
Uttar Pradesh has 403 assembly constituencies, of which 84 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 2 for Scheduled Tribes. Their boundaries were fixed by the Delimitation Order of 2008, and the 2012, 2017 and 2022 elections were all held on these same boundaries, so results from these years can be compared seat by seat. Members are elected under the first past the post system, which means the candidate with the most valid votes wins even without a majority of votes. The 18th Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly first met in 2022, so the next assembly election is due by early 2027.
All numbers in this article are taken from the official results published by the Election Commission of India. Vote shares are calculated on total valid votes, including NOTA where stated.
Also read:
- BJP in Lakhimpur Kheri District: Seats and Vote Share in 2017 and 2022
- यूपी चुनाव 2022 के नतीजे: NDA को 273, सपा गठबंधन को 125 सीटें; आंकड़ों में पूरी तस्वीर
- यूपी चुनाव 2017 के नतीजे: भाजपा को 312 सीटें, बसपा ने सपा से ज्यादा वोट पाकर भी जीतीं सिर्फ 19
Source: Election Commission of India, statistical reports of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly general elections 2017 and 2022. Original data: Election Commission of India statistical reports.
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