Message to Congress? Akhilesh Yadav's 'victory, not seats' pitch ahead of UP polls

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav requested on Saturday that party members maintain confidentiality about their opinions regarding seat-sharing discussions with the Congress, as reported differences surfaced between the two INDIA alliance partners ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. This came after SP member of parliament Shiv Pal Singh Patel criticized the Congress' reported demand of 150 seats, asserting that allocating too many constituencies could jeopardize their electoral prospects.

Addressing reporters in Lucknow, Yadav stated, "I would like to tell all our leaders that whatever opinions or concerns they have regarding seat-sharing should be shared with us. Whenever the discussion takes place, we will discuss and consider their suggestions." In response to the Congress' reported demand for 150 seats, Patel argued that the party's realistic capacity was around 25-30 seats, emphasizing that any seats beyond this would be wasted and potentially lead to defeat.

He also noted that the final decision on seat allocation rested with the SP national president. The Congress reported demand for at least 150 seats was also voiced by Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, who claimed the party had candidates for all 403 Assembly constituencies and would not contest fewer than 150.

Congress spokesperson Aradhana Mishra affirmed that the decision on seat-sharing would be made by the top leadership of the INDIA alliance and its constituent parties, rather than at the state level, clarifying that the alliance was not exclusively formed for Uttar Pradesh.