New Delhi: While the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections have not yet been formally announced, political parties have already begun their preparations. Leaders from the NDA and the INDIA bloc are currently trading barbs. Meanwhile, within the INDIA bloc, senior Congress leader and Saharanpur MP Imran Masood has been consistently questioning former CM Akhilesh Yadav’s strategy.
Masood is also raising questions regarding the Samajwadi Party’s (SP) politics concerning the Muslim community. In response, SP leaders appear to be taking an aggressive stance against him. Separately, UP Congress in-charge Rajendra Gautam has made a significant statement regarding whether the alliance with the SP will continue in the state; details of his remarks are provided below.
Gautam on the SP-Congress alliance in UP
UP Congress in-charge Rajendra Gautam made a major statement regarding the potential alliance with the SP for the 2027 Assembly elections. He stated that the SP and Congress are partners within the INDIA alliance. “Both are part of the INDIA bloc, and together we will free UP from the BJP in 2027,” he said. He added that there is no conflict between Congress and the SP, noting, “We share ideological unity. There is no need for members of either the SP or the Congress to issue statements on this matter.”
Defending Imran Masood’s statement
Congress MP Imran Masood has been quite critical of the SP over the past few days, questioning SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s strategy regarding Muslim interests. When asked about this during an event, UP Congress President Ajay Rai remarked that Imran Masood has his own political background and that his uncle was a formidable leader. He emphasised that every Congress worker stands firmly behind Imran Masood.
Congress is preparing for all 403 seats
Addressing questions about Congress’s preparations for all 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh, Ajay Rai stated, “We have spoken about preparing for all the seats. We are working on strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level. Only if we remain strong can we empower our allies.” He recalled that in the Lok Sabha elections, the party contested 17 seats and won 6, with Congress workers and leaders standing firm alongside the SP. The people of UP and its allies halted Modi’s juggernaut.
SP benefited from the alliance with Congress
UP Congress President Ajay Rai noted that the SP and BSP had allied in 2019; both were major parties, yet look at the results. Contrast that with the outcome of the 2024 alliance with Congress, as the results are there for all to see. In 2017, the party contested alongside the SP and won only 7 seats, while in 2022, it secured two seats. Addressing questions about Congress’s performance, Rai pointed to the situation in UP,n UP citing Raebareli, Amethi, and the Varanasi seat w, where candidates appeared to be losing until noon, only for a victory to be suddenly declared by 4 PM.
