Fake or True: Seat-sharing Poster Controversy Between the SP-Congress Alliance in UP

October 26, 2026

New Delhi:  Amid preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, discussions are ongoing between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP). Meanwhile, some posters put up in the state have sparked a political controversy. These posters read, “200 seats are our right, UP has faith in Rahul Gandhi.” This has once again brought the ongoing tussle between the two parties over seat-sharing into the spotlight.

After the posters surfaced, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav called them “fake” and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to create a rift within the alliance.

Akhilesh Yadav reportedly alleged that the BJP is uncomfortable with the unity of opposition parties and is using unauthorized posters to sow distrust among allies. They have also demanded action against municipal officials for allegedly allowing these posters to be put up without proper permission.

While the issue of political conspiracy behind the posters remains under investigation, the controversy has certainly highlighted the challenges surrounding seat-sharing negotiations between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

Differences between Congress and SP on Seat-Sharing

According to reports, Congress wants a larger role within the alliance in Uttar Pradesh, while the Samajwadi Party, given its political and organizational position, appears uneasy about being given more seats. Some SP leaders reportedly feel that Congress’s grassroots presence in the state is not strong enough to warrant a large number of seats.

However, the Congress-SP alliance performed well in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This strengthened the INDIA alliance and challenged the BJP’s dominance in the state.

Encouraged by this performance, Congress leaders want a quick agreement on seat-sharing, ensuring the party secures a respectable number of seats.

Reports quoting regional leaders claim that the Congress wants more than 150 seats in the 403-member Assembly. Recent reports also suggest that the Congress has submitted an initial list of 175 to 200 seats. However, a final agreement between the two parties on the number of seats has not been confirmed.

Rhetoric between Leaders of the Two Parties

Disagreements over seat-sharing have led to public exchanges between leaders of both parties. According to reports, leaders from both parties have questioned each other’s political strength, organizational capabilities, and electoral contribution.

It is believed that a final decision on seat-sharing will be taken after discussions between Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav and an assessment of the political situation.

Posters put up in Lucknow and other districts of Uttar Pradesh carry the message of demanding 200 seats for the Congress. This is being seen as a demand for a nearly equal share in an alliance where the SP is the dominant regional party in terms of electoral strength and organizational presence.

Congress hopes for the role of Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA alliance

Despite not achieving the expected success in the last few elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is currently buoyed by Rahul Gandhi’s national-level activism and the INDIA alliance’s campaign. The opposition’s campaign against the Election Commission regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list has also provided the party with an opportunity to strengthen its role at the national level.

Meanwhile, the Congress’s organizational base in Uttar Pradesh is considered much weaker than that of the SP. Consequently, the Congress hopes that by contesting more seats, it can re-establish its political presence in the state.

On the other hand, the SP wants to allocate seats based on the candidates’ chances of victory and the strength of its grassroots organization.

In this way, seat sharing is not just a matter of electoral mathematics, but also a test of mutual trust, respect, and the ability to compromise between the two parties.

The poster controversy has further highlighted this sensitive issue. The message, which appears to assert authority rather than negotiate alliance seat demands, is likely to increase political discomfort between the two parties.