By Rahil Nora Chopra
The UP Congress is gearing up for the 2027 Assembly elections and negotiating the seat-sharing arrangement with the Samajwadi Party (SP). With the aim of outlining the terms of negotiations with the SP, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi held a three-hour-long meeting with UP Congress leaders regarding seat allocation. The Congress has devised a list comprising roughly 100 ‘Category A’ seats, 40-50 ‘Category B’ seats, and 25-35 ‘Category C’ seats. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which it fought in alliance with the SP, the party experienced a surprising upswing in its fortunes, winning six of 17 seats it contested. The Congress led in 38 Assembly segments and stood second in 42 others in the 2024 polls. All these 80 seats have been included in the party’s wish-list. According to sources, Akhilesh Yadav was not keen to put forth more than 60 seats to the Congress but the Congress has been demanding 120 plus seats. Now Akhilesh Yadav has a stiff challenge to reach a consensus on seat-sharing with Congress and agree on a common minimum programme. As for seat-sharing, the cumulative decision will be made through direct discussions between Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi. While there will undoubtedly be some bargaining over the number of seats, leaders from both parties remain optimistic that a mutually acceptable solution will be attained.
AKHILESH MEETS AZAM KHAN IN JAIL, TRIGGERS BJP BACKLASH
With the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections around the corner, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav interacted with party leader Azam Khan at Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district jail on Thursday, triggering a political confrontation with the BJP. BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde responded to the meeting by claiming that the Samajwadi Party has planned to make Khan the state’s home minister if it comes to power. Tawde accused Khan of promoting lawlessness and alleged that such a move would derail the state’s development. While Akhilesh Yadav, who accused the BJP government of pursuing political vendetta against Khan and his family, alleging that baseless and false cases had been filed against them. Azam is seemingly seen as the SP’s only credible Muslim face. Political observers feel the SP could find it difficult to woo Muslims before the Assembly elections next year without Azam’s aid.
SONIA GANDHI JOINS INSTAGRAM, FIRST POST ABOUT MEMOIR ‘BELONGING’
Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has joined Instagram. In her first post, Sonia Gandhi described the memoir entitled ‘Belonging’, as a story of “love, duty, loss and finding a place to belong” and said she looked forward to sharing it with readers. She also pointed out photographs of her daughter and Wayanad MP Priyanaka Gandhi Vadra. “Hello everyone, I’m truly grateful to share this moment with you all; the first look of Belonging: A Journey of Love. It is a story of love, duty, loss and finding a place to belong. I look forward to sharing it with you,” she wrote. Sonia Gandhi’s decision to join Instagram, after staying away from social media for years was welcomed by several Congress leaders who shared her post. Earlier, Penguin Random House India backed out from publishing the memoir amid reports that Sonia Gandhi refused editorial changes to the manuscript. The publisher though denied any such motive behind the move. HarperCollins pitched in to be the India publisher of the book. After Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991, Sonia Gandhi eventually entered politics in 1998 and became the longest-serving president of the Congress, while also turning down her party’s offer to become prime minister.
OM BIRLA CITES ‘PROCEDURE’ ON OPP’S DEMAND FOR GYANESH’S IMPEACHMENT
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said any fresh motion seeking the impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar would be evaluated with reference to the parliamentary rules and procedures. The Opposition has been leading protests against Kumar and had also met President Droupadi Murmu, demanding his removal and the repeal of the 2023 law that provides immunity to the CEC and Election Commissioners. It has accused the CEC of the unilateral and arbitrary exercise of the collective powers during the ongoing revision of electoral rolls. The Opposition has so far made two attempts to remove Kumar. The notices submitted in the first attempt were rejected by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, while those submitted in the second attempt are pending. Under the law, the CEC can be removed by Parliament through a process similar to the impeachment of a Supreme Court judge. The CEC or an Election Commissioner may also resign by submitting a written resignation to the President. Meanwhile, Om Birla said that he would quicken the process of taking a decision on the Trinamool Congress’ petitions seeking the disqualification of its 20 rebel MPs once he receives the responses of the lawmakers. Birla said the matter is under consideration of the Supreme Court too. “We will hear from both sides. When the responses come from the members, we will expedite the process,” Birla said at a press conference while replying to a question on the issue. (IPA Service)
