By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: Hard bargaining from smaller parties is creating bigger problem in seat sharing in INDIA bloc as well in ruling NDA in Uttar Pradesh for crucial 2027 assembly polls. Realising the sensitivity of the complex issue of seat sharing with Samajwadi Party, senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi convened the meeting with UP Leaders and held the brain storming session in New Delhi early this week.
AICC general secretary Rajendra Pal Gautam, Newly installed UPCC president Aradhana Mishra, former UPCC president Ajay Rai and working President Imran Masood attended. Priyanka Gandhi emphasised on quality over quantity. She was of the opinion on winnability and identification of those seats. The experts who did survey for the party were also called for consultation.
UP leaders want the number of seats in three digits. They are talking about at least 150 seats. AICC general secretary incharge of UP Rajendra Pal Gautam who is also dalit face of the party openly demanded 150 seats. He is very much opposed to the perception of Samajwadi Party national President Akhilesh Yadav that INDIA bloc should concentrate on winnable seats.
However UPCC president Aradhana Mishra is known for conciliatory approach for alliance with Samajwadi Party. Her father Pramod Tewari MP in Rajya Sabha is also known to be in favour of alliance with Samajwadi Party on the basis of ground strength.
Meanwhile Priyanka Gandhi has asked UP leaders to prepare a comprehensive report of each constituency with chances of winning which would be sent to party high command for negotiations with Samajwadi Party.
Congress leaders are not willing to listen to argument put forward by certain Samajwadi Party leaders that performance in 2017 and 2022 should be considered during seat sharing. The best ever performance of Samajwadi Party in 2024 Lok Sabha polls with victory in 37 seats had boosted the confidence of Akhilesh Yadav who apparently not willing to more than 70-75 seats to Congress.
Meanwhile senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav have repeatedly emphasised that like 2024 Lok Sabha polls, INDIA bloc will take on BJP and other parties of NDA in UP. Congress leaders want the seat sharing formula should be announced before Deepawali festival so that they can go ahead with the campaign preparations.
Significantly both Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders are aware of pressure from powerful muslim community to stay together to take on BJP. They are also aware of threat from AIMIM president Assauddin Owasi who is always available in the elections to help BJP. Similarly BJP is also under pressure from smaller parties for higher number of seats for 2027 assembly polls.
At the same time there is a realisation of anti-incumbency against Yogi Adityanath government in UP as well as central government led by PM Narendra Modi. There is also anti-incumbency against at least 100 party MLAs who failed as legislators for voters of their constituencies.
Dr Sanjay Nishad who is President Nishad Party and cabinet minister organised show of strength at Talkatora stadium seeking announcement for reservation for community from double engine government of BJP at the earliest. He openly said his doors were open for negotiations before the elections. He said Samajwadi Party should also explain party’s stand regarding reservation for the Nishad community having presence in several Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies. At the same time Dr Sanjay Nishad is also bargaining for good number of seats which BJP leadership is finding it difficult to give.
BJP state President and union minister of state for finance Pankaj Choudhry surprised political commentators when he reached out to powerful Thakur leader and President of Raj Jansatta Party Raja Bhaiyya on October 18. Pankaj Singh visited the residence of Raja Bhaiyya who command influence in Pratapgarh and other areas and discussed ongoing elections for MLC and forthcoming assembly pollsd in 2027.
Seat-sharing is emerging as one of the important internal challenges for the BJP-led NDA in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly election. The difficulty is not simply the number of seats, but which seat each ally wants.
The NDA now has several important partners in UP — Apna Dal (Sonelal), Nishad Party, SBSP and RLD. Compared with 2022, the alliance composition has changed, making the old seat-sharing formula difficult to repeat. Nishad Party and SBSP have already pressed the BJP for early clarity on seat allocation.
The problem is particularly sharp in Purvanchal. Allies are looking at seats where BJP performed poorly in 2022, but several allies may want the same constituencies. RLD is seeking recognition beyond its traditional western-UP base, while SBSP has sought seats in areas such as Azamgarh. That creates potential overlap among allies.
BJP’s dilemma is that giving too many seats to allies can upset its own local organisation, while giving too few can create resentment among partners. This is why BJP president Nitin Nabin reportedly asked allies to avoid making specific seat claims for the time being.
Importantly, there is no officially settled NDA seat-sharing formula yet. Apna Dal (S) president Anupriya Patel said that no seat-sharing discussion had taken place so far. The real question for BJP is whether it can achieve “maximum alliance benefit with minimum seat sacrifice.”
An ally may bring a particular caste/community vote, but BJP also has to consider its own candidate’s strength and organisation in that constituency. So the negotiations could become particularly difficult in Purvanchal and some OBC-dominated constituencies, where Nishad Party, SBSP, Apna Dal and RLD may all seek a larger role. (IPA Service)
