In the past year, the Samajwadi Party captured 37 of 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP while Congress won six, yet the two together secured 43 seats, outpacing the BJP‑led NDA; this shift forced both parties to weigh a joint front against ceding crucial constituencies.
Congress has earmarked 150 seats as its minimum target, grouping the 403 constituencies into three tiers to streamline candidate selection. The party is simultaneously building a cadre of leaders from Dalit, Brahmin, and backward communities, with Imran Pratapgarhi spearheading its minority outreach. Rahul Gandhi, quoted by the party’s Uttar Pradesh chief Rajendra Pal Gautam, insists the alliance will be negotiated at the top level.
The Samajwadi Party, however, has launched the PDA — Pichhda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak Rath Yatra from Rae Bareli, signalling a bold push for minority votes. In a press briefing, Akhilesh Yadav reiterated that the alliance remains intact, though he warned that final seat allocations rest with his office. Zia Ur Rehman Barq noted that the party has raised concerns over the SIR of electoral rolls and alleged irregularities.
Congress MP Imran Masood, a key figure in the state’s Muslim community, rejected suggestions that the party could field candidates independently in Etawah and Mainpuri. “Rahul Gandhi ke bina koi kuch nahi,” he told reporters, drawing a sharp contrast to the Bengal experience. The two parties now face the task of reconciling their divergent expectations before the Election Commission sets the 2027 timetable.
In the village of Chandpur, a 45‑year‑old farmer named Amar Singh says he wants a candidate who can deliver public works, not just a name on a ballot. His hope hinges on the seat‑sharing deal that could either bring a Congress representative or a Samajwadi candidate to his constituency.
Negotiations are slated to begin on Oct. 5, 2024, with a final accord expected by late November. Both parties will present the agreement to the Election Commission when it releases the official schedule for the February–March 2027 election.