1993 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election

The 1993 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election was held in India from October 28 to November 7, 1993, to elect members of the 12th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh. This election marked a significant moment in the state's political landscape, occurring amidst communal tensions and the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition in December 1992. The primary contest was between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which sought to capitalize on Hindu nationalist sentiments, and the Samajwadi Party (SP) led by Mulayam Singh Yadav, which focused on social justice and minority rights. The election resulted in a hung assembly, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party but failing to secure an outright majority, leading to a coalition government formation that defined state politics in the subsequent years.