Political parties in Uttar Pradesh are gearing up for next month’s urban local body polls, which hold a special significance since they are scheduled to take place less than a year ahead of the 2024 general election.

Elections to 760 urban local bodies to elect representatives for 14,684 posts will be held in two phases on May 4 and May 11, with counting scheduled for May 13.

The BJP began holding matdaata sammelans (meetings with voters) since April 8 in each of the nagar nigams to have senior leaders and ministers, including deputy CMs KP Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, address voters and intimate them about the works carried out by the party, especially at the level of civic bodies. It has planned to hold around 50 such sammelans.

The BJP had won 14 out of 16 mayoral seats in 2017, while the BSP won two – Meerut and Aligarh.

The SP has tasked its MLAs and district level functionaries with steering the polls in their respective areas and choosing candidates. Additionally, party chief Akhilesh Yadav is seen raising issues pertinent to the elections such as raids on traders.

BSP chief Mayawati has sought mayoral polls to be held through ballot papers.