LUCKNOW: With an eye on the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, a series of remarks by Congress leaders has fuelled speculation over the future of the party's alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP), despite both sides publicly reiterating their commitment to opposition unity.
The latest round of speculation follows comments by newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, who said the party would settle for nothing less than contesting an equal number of seats as the SP in the next Assembly elections.
Adding to the debate, Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood suggested that any future alliance in Uttar Pradesh should be based on a 50:50 seat-sharing arrangement. He argued that the SP had benefited more from the alliance, citing its tally of 37 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general election.
Even as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav have projected a united front against the BJP with an eye on the elections, remarks by Congress leaders have kept speculation over the alliance alive.
Political analysts, however, believe the statements may be part of a negotiating strategy or driven by other political considerations.
In contrast, Akhilesh Yadav has reportedly instructed SP workers to refrain from making public comments that could undermine the alliance.
Analysts say such public exchanges risk creating the impression of a divided Opposition and could alienate sections of voters who backed the INDIA bloc in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
They also question whether repeated statements by Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders are being made without the approval of the party's central leadership.
According to senior SP leaders, some Congress functionaries appear keen to generate headlines even if their remarks contradict Rahul's publicly stated position on Opposition unity. They believe such statements, suggesting discord between the two allies, ultimately benefit the BJP.
Another flashpoint emerged in May when Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia and Gautam, who then headed the Congress Scheduled Caste wing, attempted to visit BSP chief Mayawati at her Lucknow residence. The episode occurred while Rahul was in Rae Bareli and reportedly prompted the Congress leadership to seek an explanation from both leaders.
Weeks later, Gautam was appointed the party's Uttar Pradesh in-charge. More recently, Masood alleged that the SP remained silent on issues concerning Muslims, prompting the SP leadership to reportedly urge the Congress high command to rein in the MP.
While SP functionaries declined to comment officially on Masood's latest remarks, they rejected his assertion that the party was more dependent on the alliance.
Responding to Masood's allegation that the SP remained silent on Muslim concerns, SP leaders pointed out that the party has four Muslim MPs among its 37 Lok Sabha members and 32 Muslim MLAs in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.
They also disputed Masood's contention that the alliance benefited the SP more because the Congress is a national party, pointing to the Congress's defeats in Punjab in 2022 and Haryana in 2024, where it contested without significant alliance support.
For now, despite periodic signs of discord, the Congress and SP leaderships continue to signal their commitment to Opposition unity.
