Understanding western Uttar Pradesh's political terrain: A case study of Muzaffarnagar district

Abstract

This study examines the changing political landscape of Western Uttar Pradesh through a case study of Muzaffarnagar district. The main aim is to understand how caste relations, agrarian issues, and religious mobilisation influence political behaviour in the region, especially within the sugarcane belt. The study uses a qualitative case study methodology, drawing on secondary sources, electoral data, and field observations from selected villages in Muzaffarnagar. The findings indicate that the decline of traditional Jat-led kisan politics, once shaped by leaders like Chaudhary Charan Singh and Mahendra Singh Tikait, has coincided with rising economic uncertainty among sugarcane farmers, particularly due to delayed payments, reduced subsidies and dependence on private mills. The study also finds increasing communal polarisation and growing religiosity among both Jat and Muslim communities, weakening the historical Jat-Muslim political alliance. These shifts contributed to fluctuating electoral outcomes, including the BJP’s setback in sugarcane-dominated seats in 2022. The study concludes that Muzaffarnagar’s political behaviour is driven not only by agrarian identity but by a complex interaction of caste, class, religion and state-level political narratives.