Lucknow: Before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2027, talks have started between Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) regarding seat sharing. Congress has kept about 200 assembly seats in the state as its priority. However, the party says that this list should not be seen as demanding 200 seats in the alliance. Along with the number of seats, a respectable share in the alliance is also important for Congress. The final agreement has not yet been reached between the two parties.
Will the list of 200 seats increase pressure on SP?
As part of its election preparations, Congress has identified those assembly constituencies where the party considers its position strong and is exploring the possibility of contesting the elections. According to media reports, these seats have been divided into four categories. The purpose of this classification is to clarify the party’s priorities and scope of agreement during negotiations.
According to the strategy of Congress, the party is more determined in its claim on the seats included in Category A. Some changes are likely in Category B, while there may be more scope for compromise on Category C and D seats. However, the complete category-wise list of seats has not been made public.
Where does Congress stand now, which won 269 seats in 1985?
The electoral performance of Congress in Uttar Pradesh has changed significantly over the last several decades. In the 1985 assembly elections, the party formed the government by winning 269 seats. After this, its support base continued to weaken and in the 1989 elections it was reduced to 94 seats.
Even in the 1990s and beyond, the Congress could not regain its old political position in the state. In the year 2002, the party got 25 seats, in 2007 22 seats and in 2012 28 seats. In the 2017 assembly elections, Congress formed an alliance with Samajwadi Party, but the party could win only seven seats. In 2022, Congress contested the elections alone and won only two seats in the 403-member assembly. In this backdrop, the 2027 elections are an opportunity for the Congress to strengthen the organisation and increase its role in state politics. At the same time, how many seats the party is able to agree on in seat sharing with SP will depend on further talks.
How did the talks progress after Priyanka Gandhi’s meetings?
Before seat sharing, election strategy was discussed within the Congress. According to reports, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held meetings with leaders from Uttar Pradesh. In these discussions, the position of the organisation, possible candidates and the assembly constituencies where the party wants to contest were considered.
Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam has also said that talks have started between the two parties. There have been reports of Congress sharing the primary list of seats with SP. Now senior leaders of both the parties will discuss the details of seat sharing and electoral coordination.
What benefit did the alliance get in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections?
Congress and SP had jointly contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. In that election, Samajwadi Party won 37 seats, while Congress got success in six seats. The combined number of seats of both the parties was 43. After this result, the chances of continuing the alliance between the two parties in the assembly elections also increased.
However, the equations for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections may be different. While deciding the demand for seats, both the parties will have to consider the strength of the organisation in the respective assembly constituencies, the results of the previous elections and the position of the potential candidates.
Will a consensus be reached between SP and Congress soon?
Congress’s priority in seat distribution is to strengthen its political role, whereas SP has also given importance to electoral performance and the possibility of winning in the distribution of seats. In such a situation, both the parties will have to strike a balance between their claims and the ground situation. At present, the list of about 200 seats puts forward the electoral priorities of the Congress, but it cannot be considered as a final demand or agreement. Before the 2027 assembly elections, the picture of the alliance will become clear only when both the parties reach an agreement regarding the number of seats and candidates.
