Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has said the alliance was formed for the 2024 Lok Sabha election and that the Assembly contest remains some distance away. His remarks have been interpreted as an attempt to keep electoral options open while discouraging the Congress from assuming that the parliamentary arrangement will automatically extend to the state polls.
The statement marked a shift in tone from May, when Yadav said the partnership with the Congress and other opposition parties would continue and that winning should take priority over bargaining for seats. The contrast has intensified speculation that negotiations over leadership, constituencies and campaign strategy are proving more difficult than the public display of unity suggests.
Relations have also been complicated by comments from Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders seeking a larger role for the party. Some have argued that the Congress must rebuild independently rather than remain dependent on the Samajwadi Party’s organisational machinery. Others have pressed for a more equitable seat-sharing formula, reflecting confidence gained from the opposition’s performance in the 2024 general election.
Yadav, by contrast, is expected to insist that seat allocation should reflect the Samajwadi Party’s position as the principal opposition force in the state. He has previously urged the Congress to show flexibility in states where regional parties possess stronger electoral networks. The message has been described within opposition circles as a demand that national ambitions should not override regional political realities.
The two parties emerged as the strongest challengers to the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The Samajwadi Party won 37 of the state’s 80 parliamentary seats, while the Congress secured six. Their combined performance sharply reduced the BJP-led alliance’s representation and demonstrated the value of preventing opposition votes from being divided.
The result was built on a wider social coalition. The Samajwadi Party expanded beyond its traditional support among Yadavs and Muslims by fielding candidates from other backward communities and Dalit groups. The Congress added support among sections of upper castes, minorities and voters attracted by its national campaign themes. Together, the parties secured a vote base capable of challenging the BJP across several regions of the state.
Translating that parliamentary success into an Assembly campaign will be harder. Uttar Pradesh has 403 constituencies, requiring deeper local organisation, more candidates and extensive coordination among district units. Congress leaders want enough seats to revive the party’s weakened grassroots structure. The Samajwadi Party is reluctant to surrender constituencies where it has spent years cultivating candidates and caste-based networks.
The history of their cooperation also encourages caution. The parties contested the 2017 Assembly election together but suffered a decisive defeat. The BJP won 312 seats, while the Samajwadi Party was reduced to 47 and the Congress secured seven. Their campaign, centred on the youthful partnership between Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, failed to overcome voter dissatisfaction with the state government then led by the Samajwadi Party.
Five years later, the Congress contested separately and won only two seats. The Samajwadi Party improved substantially, winning 111 seats, but the BJP retained power with 255. Those figures strengthened Yadav’s claim to lead any opposition formation in the state and left the Congress with limited bargaining strength at the Assembly level.
Both parties nevertheless recognise the danger of a breakdown. Separate contests could divide anti-BJP votes, particularly in closely fought constituencies. The Bahujan Samaj Party has said it plans to contest independently, while the Azad Samaj Party has begun announcing candidates. Other smaller groups are also positioning themselves to negotiate alliances or influence contests in areas where margins may be narrow.
A July meeting involving Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Yadav was viewed as an attempt to manage tensions at the leadership level. Although no formal details were released, discussions were believed to have included the Assembly election and the broader coordination of opposition parties.
(IPA Service)
