LUCKNOW: Newly-appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam arrived at the state capital on Wednesday, marking his visit after being entrusted with the responsibility.
On his first visit, Gautam sent out a strong message to its ally Samajwadi Party, stating that the Congress would demand an equal number of seats to contest in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Claiming that Congress was the big brother or even equal partner in UP, Gautam said that the party would negotiate for equal seats in the elections early next year.
Moreover, the Congress insiders claim that party has even started identifying nearly 170 Assembly seats in the state which it could claim in the event of an alliance with the Samajwadi Party.
It may be recalled that the Congress is getting this confidence from its improved performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls when it enhanced it tally to six MPs from one in 2019.
Congress was no longer willing to remain a junior partner to SP in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, said a senior Congress leader. Party sources said that groundwork on strong seats was already on with the help of a professional agency.
Rajendra Pal Gautam, who was recently appointed as UP Congress in-charge, replacing Vinash Pandey, is believed to have considerable influence among Dalit voters, especially in Western UP. Congress is said to have benefited from Dalit support in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Gautam is a Dalit, hailing from Meerut.
A senior Congress strategist said on condition of anonymity that the party was targeting 120-130 seats. A pool of around 170 seats was kept ready to avoid any major reduction during negotiations.
SP, however, remains cautious about Congress's assertive stance and is reportedly not inclined to offer more than 60-80 seats. This could lead to intense negotiations within the INDIA bloc in the months to come.
The seats Congress has reportedly chosen include the constituencies where the party has been enjoying a strong, loyal vote base historically. It has also identified the Assembly segments where Congress secured a lead during the 2024 parliamentary elections and those where it had an active and robust booth-level network.
Congress insiders feel that the party should not depend solely on one alliance partner. Gautam has advocated bringing in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and forming a wider alliance.
"I am not authorised to decide on alliances but all parties who believe in the Constitution deserve fair representation. Whenever Behenji (Mayawati) is willing, we are ready to meet her," said Gautam while sending out an open offer to the BSP leadership.
Notably, on May 19, Rajendra Pal Gautam along with Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia and others had reached Mayawati's residence in Lucknow without an appointment.
She, however, refused to meet him.
Congress has been out of power in UP since 1989. At that time the party had Dalit, Brahmin and Muslim vote bank in its fold, consolidating its position in the state’s political landscape.
However, over the last four decades, the party has largely been confined to Gandhi family bastions of Rae Bareli and Amethi, while its presence in state assembly has been dwindling continuously.
Congress contested the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections without an alliance.
Led by AICC general Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the party contested on 399 seats, of which 40 per cent seats were contested by women candidates.
Despite this, the party performed poorly and its vote share fell to 2.33%.
Congress managed to win only two seats — Aradhana Mishra 'Mona' from Rampur Khas in Pratapgarh district and Virendra Chaudhary from Pharenda in Maharajganj district. It marked the party's worst-ever Assembly election performance in Uttar Pradesh.
However, political experts feel that the 'elder brother' remark and the survey of 170 seats are part of a calculated strategy to exert psychological pressure on SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
