{
  "id": 15903300,
  "title": "UP polls: Congress jockeys for ‘specific’ seats, says talks with SP have begun",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/up-polls-congress-jockeys-for-specific-seats-says-talks-with-sp-have",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-21T14:43:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/congress-sp-seat-sharing-up-assembly-polls-2027-10931167/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Congress party in Uttar Pradesh has initiated talks with the Samajwadi Party for a seat-sharing agreement ahead of the state's upcoming Assembly elections. Rajendra Pal Gautam, the Congress' in-charge for the state, revealed that discussions have commenced with INDIA bloc constituents in the region, and the party is seeking \"specific\" seats based on its organizational strength and performance. The Lok Sabha elections in 2024, where the INDIA bloc secured 43 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, saw Rahul Gandhi's leadership and influence as a significant factor in the alliance's success. Gautam expressed confidence that the final agreement will be \"honorable\" and that the Congress is strengthening its grassroots organization. The Congress and the Samajwadi Party jointly contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as part of the INDIA bloc, winning a combined total of 43 seats. In the Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party emerged victorious with 37 seats, while the Congress secured six seats, taking the alliance's total to 43. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is actively involved in the seat-sharing talks alongside senior SP leadership. The Congress had initially contended for around 150 seats but later revised their demand to 200, emphasizing the need for equal respect and share. Imran Masood, a Saharanpur MP and the party's newly appointed working president of the state unit, urged the Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh, to finalize the alliance promptly.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Congress party in Uttar Pradesh begins talks with Samajwadi Party for seat-sharing agreement.",
    "Congress seeks specific seats based on organizational strength and performance.",
    "Congress and SP jointly won 43 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha elections as part of INDIA bloc."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}