SP Leader Dismisses Congresss Demand for 181 Seats in UP Assembly Elections

Lucknow, November 14 (Daily Kiran) : The political landscape in Uttar Pradesh is heating up as the Samajwadi Party (SP) prepares for the upcoming assembly elections. On November 14, SP President Akhilesh Yadav revealed that Congress has requested 181 out of 403 seats for the elections scheduled for early next year.

Negotiations regarding seat-sharing for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections have begun. However, SP MP Shivpal Singh Patel has firmly rejected Congress’s demand, labeling it “unreasonable.” He emphasized that the final distribution of seats will be determined solely by Akhilesh Yadav.

Patel indicated that Congress would likely have to settle for fewer seats, estimating a range of 50 to 65. He highlighted the stark difference in the current assembly representation, with Congress holding only two seats compared to SP’s stronger position. Patel argued that Congress’s actual capacity aligns more with his estimation than their ambitious request.

Despite Congress’s push for 181 seats, Patel suggested that they might end up with less than 100. He pointed out that their current representation does not justify such a high demand. He also warned that granting too many seats to Congress could demoralize SP’s grassroots workers, who have worked diligently to earn public trust across the state.

While acknowledging the necessity of cooperation within the alliance, Patel cautioned that exceeding reasonable limits in seat distribution could adversely affect election outcomes. Despite the significant gap in expectations, Akhilesh Yadav has reiterated that both opposition parties will unite to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Senior leaders from both parties are scheduled to meet on November 17 to formally discuss the final seat-sharing formula. As the main opposition party and a major coalition partner in the state, the SP is expected to negotiate firmly during these discussions.

When asked about the implications if Congress does not agree to fewer than 181 seats, Patel stated that the decision rests with Akhilesh Yadav, as he is the party leader. The performance of both parties in previous elections will play a crucial role in the negotiations.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress-SP alliance achieved notable success, winning 43 out of 80 parliamentary seats—37 for SP and 6 for Congress. However, the situation in the Uttar Pradesh assembly paints a different picture. In the 2022 assembly elections, Congress contested alone on 399 seats but managed to secure only 2, down from 7 in 2017. In contrast, the SP made significant gains, winning 111 of the 347 seats it contested, a substantial increase from its previous 47 seats.