Why Congress wants early seat-sharing talks with Samajwadi Party in UP

Congress is urging for early discussions on seat-sharing with its ally, the Samajwadi Party (SP), in preparation for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2027. The Congress believes that the alliance should focus on winnable constituencies rather than the sheer number of seats contested. Both parties are currently conducting separate surveys of all 403 Assembly constituencies to evaluate their electoral prospects.

Congress leaders emphasize the importance of early negotiations to avoid the issues that plagued their alliance in the 2017 elections, where inadequate coordination at the constituency level led to only 54 out of 403 seats being won by the combined forces. The Congress is keen on rebuilding its Assembly presence and organizational base in Uttar Pradesh, rather than maximizing the number of seats it contests.

The surveys being carried out by both parties will examine various factors such as previous electoral performance, caste combinations, organizational strength, candidate potential, and the ability of one party's votes to support the other's. The Congress sees early seat selection as a way to prevent a division of Opposition votes and avoid contests between alliance partners that could favor the BJP-led NDA.

The SP, however, is being cautious and has stated that decisions on alliances are made by its top leaders.