Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) are at loggerheads over seat allocation for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election scheduled for early 2025, each vying for a larger share of the 403 constituencies.
The two parties rode a wave of success in the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, where their combined INDIA bloc dented the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hold on the state. Buoyed by that performance, Congress leaders have begun demanding a “respectable” quota, reportedly anything above 150 seats.
SP insiders, however, appear comfortable with a ceiling of roughly 80 seats for their principal ally. The disagreement has spilled into public exchanges, with leaders on both sides trading barbs about organisational strength, electoral contribution and political stature.
Both camps concede that the ultimate decision will rest with the central leadership – namely Rahul Gandhi for Congress and Akhilesh Yadav for the SP.
The impasse echoes a similar standoff that unfolded in Bihar during the 2025 Mahagathbandhan negotiations. There, Congress entered talks riding perceived momentum from Rahul Gandhi's outreach and sought to retain the 70‑seat count it contested in 2020. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Tejashwi Yadav pushed back, pointing to Congress' 2020 strike rate of 19 wins out of 70 seats and warning that performance, not aspiration, should dictate allocation.
At one point, Tejashwi hinted that RJD could contest all 243 seats, a pressure tactic aimed at tempering Congress demands. Ultimately, Congress settled for 61 seats, managed to win only six – a drop of 13 from its 2020 tally – while the opposition alliance was overwhelmed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The Bihar episode underscored the risk of sidelining smaller partners when larger allies squabble over numbers, a lesson that may shape the unfolding UP negotiations. In neighbouring Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) spent months seeking a seat‑sharing formula that balanced its alliance with Congress and RJD.
Image: mangalorean.com
📰 Source: Mangalorean News