New Delhi: With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections just a few months away, the issue of the Electoral Roll (SIR) is gaining significant momentum, with the opposition launching repeated attacks against the Chief Election Commissioner. The ‘INDIA’ alliance is set to hold a major meeting on September 30 to discuss the removal of millions of names from the electoral rolls and issues concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The meeting aims to hold detailed discussions on the electoral roll issue, among others. However, SP chief and former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav has decided to stay away from this crucial meeting. His absence is being viewed as a setback for opposition unity against the government ahead of the UP elections. Everyone is wondering why Akhilesh Yadav has chosen not to attend.
Why won’t Akhilesh Yadav attend the INDIA alliance meeting?
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has completely distanced himself from the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled for September 30; he will not be participating. This move is seen as a blow to opposition unity against the government regarding the electoral roll issue and other matters. The SP chief’s announcement has also sparked concern within the Congress party. However, party insiders claim that Akhilesh Yadav currently wishes to avoid a face-to-face meeting with the top Congress leadership.
Akhilesh is inclined to keep his distance from the top Congress leadership.
Various interpretations are being drawn from SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s decision to skip the INDIA alliance meeting. Had he attended, a face-to-face encounter with top leaders, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also scheduled to be present, would have been inevitable. With the top leaders of both Congress and the SP at the same table, discussions regarding the structure of the alliance would certainly have taken place, potentially leading to friction over seat-sharing arrangements.
Disagreements Between SP and Congress Over Seat-Sharing
Seat-sharing between the SP and Congress remains a major issue in the UP elections. Differences of opinion between the two parties on this matter have frequently surfaced, and a war of words has often been witnessed between their leaders. Consequently, Congress has been continuously pressuring the SP regarding seat allocation. Congress leaders are demanding an early decision on which seats they will contest. Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav consistently emphasises the need to field candidates with strong winning prospects.
It is worth noting that Congress won two seats in the 2022 UP elections. Subsequently, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party contested in alliance with the SP and secured six seats. In the 2017 elections, Congress had been allocated 105 seats as part of an alliance with the SP; this time, too, the party seeks to field candidates for a higher number of seats. However, Akhilesh Yadav is not inclined to concede that many seats, insisting instead on identifying candidates who are likely to win.
