Congress And Samajwadi Party To Begin Seat-Sharing Talks For 2027 UP Elections

Congress Prepares 150 Target Seats Across Three Categories

To prepare for the upcoming negotiations, Congress has divided all 403 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh into three categories labeled A, B, and C. Congress leaders state this classification ensures the party identifies potential candidates and organisational strengths before talks begin rather than lacking candidates if an alliance is finalized.

The party has placed 150 constituencies into its first category and expects to target those specific seats during seat-sharing discussions. Congress leaders indicate that the final negotiated number should not fall below 100 seats. Alongside these preparations, the party is working to strengthen its local organisation across all 403 seats, focusing particularly on Dalit and Brahmin voters while attempting to make inroads among extremely backward communities. The party has also inducted several Muslim leaders into prominent roles, including Imran Pratapgarhi, chairman of the Congress minority department, and Saharanpur MP Imran Masood.

Samajwadi Party Strategy and Leadership Dynamics

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav launched his party’s PDA Rath Yatra—focusing on Backward classes, Dalits, and Minorities—starting from Rae Bareli, the Lok Sabha constituency represented by Rahul Gandhi. Despite parallel preparations that have led to minor public sparring, Akhilesh Yadav maintains that the alliance with Congress remains intact for the Assembly elections.

The electoral equation between the two parties shifted significantly between the 2019 general election and the 2024 elections. In 2019, the Samajwadi Party won five Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh while Congress won just one. In 2024, however, the Samajwadi Party secured 37 of the state’s 80 seats and Congress won six, placing the INDIA bloc ahead of the BJP-led alliance in Uttar Pradesh. Rajendra Pal Gautam, the Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge, told NDTV that the INDIA bloc will contest the Assembly election together under Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership.

Public Friction and Leadership Control Over Final Deal

Parallel preparations and seat ambitions have occasionally spilled over into public friction. When Akhilesh Yadav launched his Rath Yatra in Rae Bareli, some Congress leaders suggested launching a counter-campaign from Mainpuri and Etawah, areas strongly tied to the Samajwadi Party. Samajwadi Party leaders retorted that Congress would secure no votes in those regions.

Congress MP Imran Masood rejected suggestions that his party could be sidelined in the state, stating:

Rahul Gandhi ke bina koi kuch nahi. Don’t be under any illusion, you saw what happened in Bengal.

— Congress MP Imran Masood

In response, Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq emphasized that unnecessary public statements should be avoided to prevent giving opportunities to the Bharatiya Janata Party. He noted that while matters ranging from the SIR of electoral rolls to alleged election irregularities have consistently seen the Samajwadi Party taking public concerns from the streets to the Assembly, the final arrangements rest entirely with the top leadership.

Whether it is the SIR issue, election irregularities or other issues, the Samajwadi Party has raised public issues from the streets to the Assembly. Our leader, Akhilesh Yadav, will decide when the alliance is formed and how the seats are shared. For their part, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will take the decision. Unnecessary statements should be avoided so that the BJP does not get an opportunity. The Samajwadi Party is fully prepared for the Uttar Pradesh elections. We want to contest the elections together under the alliance and work towards forming the government.

— Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq

Final seat arrangements will require formal approval from both party leadership, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, once formal discussions commence next month.