Masood’s remarks drew a sharp response from Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai, who urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to restrain party figures making statements that could damage the INDIA opposition alliance. Rai argued that public attacks between partners would benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party as preparations gather pace for the 2027 state contest.
The exchange has revived questions over whether the two opposition parties can preserve the partnership that delivered major gains 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, helping the alliance restrict the BJP to 33 seats in a state central to national politics.
Masood, the Congress MP from Saharanpur, said the SP appeared more interested in securing seats through an alliance than treating its partner with respect. He rejected suggestions that the Congress had become irrelevant in Uttar Pradesh and warned that attempts to project one party as the dominant force could weaken the broader opposition effort.
He also criticised the SP’s handling of Muslim leaders, alleging that influential figures from the community were not given adequate space within the party. His comments touched a sensitive political issue because Muslim voters, alongside Yadavs, Dalits and sections of other backward communities, form a critical part of the opposition’s electoral calculations in Uttar Pradesh.
Rai responded by questioning Masood’s authority to speak on behalf of the Congress or the INDIA alliance. He said Masood was neither the party’s official spokesperson on alliance matters nor responsible for its Uttar Pradesh strategy. Rai also argued that the Congress MP had benefited substantially from Samajwadi Party support during the 2024 election.
Masood won Saharanpur with 547,967 votes, defeating BJP candidate Raghav Lakhanpal by 64,542 votes. The result reflected the effectiveness of consolidated opposition voting in western Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress and SP avoided competing against each other in several constituencies.
Rai appealed directly to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, to intervene before the dispute widened. He said alliance partners should resolve differences through internal discussions rather than statements that could create confusion among workers and voters.
The latest confrontation follows earlier disagreements over seat-sharing, organisational strength and the relative roles of the two parties. Congress leaders have sought a larger presence in the state after their improved Lok Sabha performance. SP leaders, meanwhile, maintain that their extensive cadre, regional leadership and broader vote base justify their senior position within the partnership.
The Congress has also been rebuilding district-level units and signalling that it does not want to remain dependent on allies indefinitely. Some of its leaders have spoken about contesting a substantial number of Assembly seats, while SP figures have cautioned that unrealistic demands could divide the anti-BJP vote.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has 403 seats, with 202 required for a majority. The BJP won 255 seats in 2022, while the Samajwadi Party secured 111. Congress managed only two seats, underlining the gap between its parliamentary revival and its weak organisational position at the state level.
Akhilesh Yadav has repeatedly said the INDIA alliance remains intact and that the SP intends to contest the Assembly election with its partners. However, he has also indicated that parties dissatisfied with the arrangement are free to chart their own course, a position that has been interpreted as resistance to pressure from Congress negotiators.
The dispute is also linked to competition over minority representation. The SP has long relied on Muslim support, while the Congress is attempting to regain voters who shifted towards regional parties after its decline in Uttar Pradesh. Masood, a prominent leader from western Uttar Pradesh, has argued that Congress must assert its identity rather than function as a junior partner.
BJP leaders have seized on the clash as evidence that the opposition coalition lacks cohesion. They have portrayed the exchange as an early battle over seats and leadership, arguing that the alliance is held together primarily by opposition to the ruling party.
