Uttar Pradesh: The road to a seat-sharing agreement between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress appears challenging ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. While Congress is pushing for a larger share of constituencies, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s party is reportedly reluctant to offer its ally more than 100 seats, with sources suggesting that it may limit Congress to around 60–70 constituencies.
Congress Pushes for a Bigger Share
According to sources cited by India TV, Congress has sought more than 200 of Uttar Pradesh’s 403 Assembly seats and wants the seat-sharing arrangement to reflect its political standing in the state. The party is pointing to its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when it won six parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh, as a reason for seeking a greater role in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Congress is also assessing its prospects at the Assembly-segment level, with a focus on constituencies where it performed comparatively well during the previous general election.
The Samajwadi Party, however, is keen to retain the majority of seats for itself. Sources suggest that SP is considering offering Congress between 60 and 70 constituencies. It remains unclear whether this proposed allocation has formally been conveyed to Congress leadership.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Leads Congress’s Efforts
Congress is reportedly aiming to complete negotiations by November 15. An early agreement would give the parties sufficient time to select candidates, organise campaigns and prepare for the election.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress’s national general secretary, is playing a key role in the discussions. She is said to be in regular contact with the party’s Uttar Pradesh leadership as efforts continue to work out an acceptable formula.
The difference between Congress’s reported demand and SP’s proposed allocation highlights the challenge facing the two allies as they attempt to coordinate their electoral strategies.
Akhilesh Yadav Stresses Opposition Unity
Despite the differences over constituencies, Akhilesh Yadav has maintained that defeating the BJP remains the alliance’s central objective. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the Congress, SP and the INDIA bloc need to strengthen their cooperation.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Yadav said, “The Congress, the Samajwadi Party, and the INDIA bloc must be strengthened. Our collective goal is to see that the BJP is removed. To ensure the ouster of the BJP, we will make people understand, and we will do so. The alliance will move forward effectively to defeat the BJP.”
The BJP has governed Uttar Pradesh since 2017, making the next Assembly election a significant contest for both the ruling party and the opposition alliance.
NDA Allies Could Influence the Electoral Contest
The 2027 Assembly election is expected to see the BJP face a challenge from the SP-Congress alliance, although the final electoral equation will depend on seat-sharing arrangements and campaign strategies.
Smaller parties aligned with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Apna Dal (S), Nishad Party and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), could also influence the contest in key constituencies.
For now, the immediate challenge for SP and Congress is to bridge their differences over seat allocation. Whether the two parties can reach an agreement before the proposed November 15 deadline could shape the next phase of their preparations for the Uttar Pradesh elections.