Congress Prepares 200-Seat List for UP 2027 Polls, Seeks Respectable Share in SP Alliance

October 24 (Udaipur Kiran) : Talks between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) on seat sharing for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections have begun, with Congress identifying a list of around 200 assembly constituencies where it wishes to contest.

Congress has divided these constituencies into four categories to guide negotiations. The party, however, clarified that this list does not mean it is demanding exactly 200 seats in the alliance. Instead, Congress leaders emphasised that a respectable share in the alliance is more important than a fixed number of seats.

Congress sources indicated that while the party is firm on contesting some seats, it is open to negotiation on others. The approach is designed to ensure flexibility during seat-sharing discussions with the SP, led by Akhilesh Yadav.

Congress’s Declining Fortunes in Uttar Pradesh

Congress’s electoral performance in Uttar Pradesh has seen a steady decline since 1985. In the 1989 assembly elections, Congress was reduced to 94 seats, while Janata Dal emerged as the largest party with 208 seats. In 1991, Congress won 46 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a clear majority with 221 seats.

The downward trend continued: Congress won 28 seats in 1993 and 33 seats in 1996 but could not form the government. In 2002, the party managed 25 seats, and in 2007, its tally fell to 22. A slight improvement came in 2012, when Congress won 28 seats, but this was overshadowed by the SP’s 224 seats in the same election.

In the 2017 assembly elections, Congress allied with the SP, contesting 105 seats, but managed to win only seven. SP, in comparison, contested 298 seats. The 2022 assembly polls saw Congress contesting alone and winning just two seats in the 403-member assembly. In both the 2017 and 2022 elections, Congress failed to cross double digits in terms of seats won.

In 1985, Congress had won 269 seats and formed the government. By 2022, its tally had dwindled to just two. Since 1989, Congress has not returned to power in Uttar Pradesh through assembly elections. This long decline has prompted the party to take a more assertive stance on seat sharing ahead of the 2027 polls, viewing the SP alliance as a crucial opportunity to regain political presence in the state.

Internal Discussions Led by Priyanka Gandhi

Seat-sharing talks between Congress and SP began after three internal meetings of the Congress party, which were led by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. During these discussions, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Aradhana Mishra, acting state president Imran Masood, and state in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam were present. According to party sources, the leaders discussed electoral strategy and seat-sharing issues.

Four Categories for Negotiation

According to a Tribune report, Congress has sorted its list of nearly 200 assembly constituencies into four categories to clarify its priorities and allow room for negotiation during talks with the SP. The categories are as follows:

• Category A: Congress is most adamant about these seats and does not wish to compromise its claim.
• Category B: The party is open to considering some changes on these seats.
• Categories C and D: Congress is comparatively more willing to negotiate or make changes on these seats.

The party has not made public the exact number of seats in each category or the detailed breakdown of its list.

Emphasis on Respect, Not Just Numbers

Congress leaders have underlined that the list of around 200 seats represents the party’s electoral priorities, not a demand for a minimum or fixed number of seats. The party has not set a minimum quota for itself.

Responding to questions about the high number of seats, a senior Congress leader said the party’s long political history means it will not accept any arrangement that weakens its political position. The leader stated, “There will be no compromise on the issue of respect.”

This indicates that Congress is seeking not only a fair number of seats but also recognition of its political significance and priorities within the alliance with SP.

Previous Alliance Performance in Lok Sabha Elections

Congress and the SP contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh together. In that election, the SP won 37 out of the state’s 80 Lok Sabha seats, while Congress secured six. The combined tally of 43 seats gave the opposition alliance a strong showing in the state.

This performance has strengthened the opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh. Both parties now face the challenge of maintaining this coordination for the 2027 assembly elections.

Seat Sharing: A Major Test for the Alliance

With the BJP as the main rival in Uttar Pradesh, the SP and Congress are the principal partners in the opposition alliance. The seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming assembly elections will be a major test of cooperation between the two parties.

Congress is seeking an effective role in the alliance, while the final seat-sharing outcome will depend on how much each party is willing to accommodate the other’s electoral priorities. For now, Congress’s four-category seat list has provided a starting point for negotiations. The eventual agreement will depend on how both parties balance their interests during the seat-sharing process.