The Congress has initiated seat-sharing talks with the Samajwadi Party for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, submitting an initial list of 175 to 200 seats where it believes it can make an impact in an alliance.
The list was shared with SP leaders a couple of days ago, Congress’ Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam told news agency PTI. Leaders of the two parties are expected to hold detailed discussions on the proposed arrangement.
“I can't give you the exact numbers, but we have submitted a list for 175 to 200 seats,” Gautam told PTI, indicating that the Congress was open to negotiations ahead of the elections to the state’s 403 Assembly seats.
“The leadership of both parties will sit together to thrash out the nitty-gritties of the seat-sharing arrangement,” he added.
However, the Congress’ demand for a substantial share of seats has met with scepticism within the SP, with party leaders questioning whether it has the political strength to contest 175 to 200 constituencies, sources said.
“I think our party leader Akhilesh Yadav has made it clear that winnability is the sole criterion (for contesting the polls). Anyone can demand anything but in politics, to reach an acceptable and meaningful solution, you have to move beyond posturing,” a senior SP leader said.
The Congress’ electoral decline in Uttar Pradesh has continued since 1989, when it last held power in the state. In the 2022 Assembly elections, the party contested independently but won only two seats, down from seven in 2017.
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, however, have bolstered the Congress’ confidence in a renewed alliance with the SP. The Congress won six seats in Uttar Pradesh, while the SP secured 37, limiting the BJP to 33 seats.
“It’s obvious… The 2024 Lok Sabha results were proof that together the two parties can make an impact. In politics, there has to be room for meaningful give and take,” a senior Congress leader told PTI.
Gautam expressed hope that the parties would arrive at a “reasonable” arrangement, asserting that they would contest the 2027 Assembly elections together.
The recent leadership change in the Uttar Pradesh Congress is also believed to have been factored into the effort to reach an agreement. Former state Congress chief Ajay Rai was replaced by Congress legislator Aradhana Misra Mona months before the elections.
Some Congress leaders believe Mona’s reportedly “excellent relations” with the SP leadership could help facilitate an agreement. Rai, meanwhile, was believed to favour a post-poll arrangement over a pre-poll alliance with the SP.
The Congress has also categorised constituencies according to its assessment of its electoral prospects, taking a cue from the BJP, sources said. These assessments are expected to form a key part of the seat-sharing negotiations.
The 2027 Uttar Pradesh contest is expected to centre on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the SP-led opposition alliance, with the Congress seeking a substantial share of seats in a renewed partnership with the SP. Smaller NDA allies, including Apna Dal (S) and the Nishad Party, are also expected to feature in the contest.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), meanwhile, remains outside these alliance arrangements, adding another dimension to the state’s electoral calculations, where caste equations and seat-sharing decisions are likely to play a significant role.
(With inputs from PTI)