NEW DELHI: The new Congress team in Uttar Pradesh has a daunting challenge at hand: to revive the fortunes of the grand-old-party in the 2027 assembly elections. But before the big political test early next year, there is a pressing concern at hand: the alliance dynamics. And to that extent, the Congress appointments send a mixed signal to ally Samajwadi Party.The appointment of MLA Aradhana Misra-Mona, who is perceived close to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, as the new state chief signals the willingness of the Congress for an amicable seat-sharing discussions. But the simultaneous elevation of Imran Masood, a known critic of Samjawadi Party’s “big brother attitude”, raises obvious questions about the Congress’s intent vis-a-vis its ally.So, how will this contradiction play out when the two parties sit on the table to decide the contours of their alliance? More so, as there is already an open war of words between the leaders of the two parties over the seat share. Congress leaders have insisted that division of seats should be based on “respect and equality.” Aradhana Misra-Mona acknowledges that with the 2027 state elections only a few months away, she would have to hit the ground running as her party seeks to regain political space it has steadily lost in the state since 1989.
Masood’s strong remarks
To understand why Imran Masood’s high-profile appointment may have caused some unease, here’s a look at some of the statements he has made in the recent past.June In a video on X Imran Masood said that the Congress will no longer accept the formula that SP had applied in 2024 Lok Sabha polls and that the party was preparing to contest 2027 assembly polls on 200 seats in UP.July “Muslims’ mosques are being demolished, madrassas are being razed, injustice is being meted out to Muslims, and atrocities are being committed against Dalits. They ought to speak up on these issues, too. But they (SP leaders) won’t do that; instead, they target me. If you genuinely want to fight the BJP, then finalise the alliance… If you don’t want to do anything on the ground, then it means you are not honest.” “If you are shouting ‘gathbandhan’, then bring it to the ground. If you don’t bring it to the ground and it only exists on TV and in statements, then what is the meaning of that alliance? That is not honesty. If you want to do it honestly, sit down and finalise it.”September “If an alliance is to be formed, it should be finalised; otherwise, we must proceed with our own preparations. The political climate, not just here, but across the entire country, is such that one cannot move forward without the Congress; the Congress is essential. A fight against the BJP can only be waged with the Congress; only the Congress can take them on.”“Don’t form an alliance. Who is asking for it? Are we begging anyone? Let everyone do what they want. When a wedding procession sets out, there are many drummers, as well as people who dance and sing. Let these people dance and sing. We are focussed on our work.”
SP pushback
Clearly, very strong statements which have led to equally strong reactions from the Samajwadi Party. Akhilesh has led the pushback for the Samajwadi Party, making it clear that winnability will be the only criteria for division of seats.When asked about Masood’s remarks, Akhilesh once said: “I have nothing to do with the statement given by anyone. Our INDIA alliance is intact. Those who want to leave the INDIA alliance can go.”Amid reports that the Congress was seeking 150 seats, Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel said the grand-old-party should seek seats in proportion to its electoral strength and organisational presence in the state.“I think if they are given 50 seats, they should look at their actual position and status before seeking anything more than 50 seats. They should look at their past record. I understand that in Uttar Pradesh, there is no mandate for Congress. If they fight with us, they will benefit. They have only two MLAs in the state. If they fight together, they will benefit.”Masood and SP leaders have also engaged in open war of words over who, Rahul or Akhilesh, was more capable of leading the fight against the BJP.While a lot of these remarks are posturing for dominance in seat-sharing talks, the fact is that the open fighting between the two allies has the potential to confuse their cadres. The Congress move to give prominence to Masood could be part of its strategy to keep the pressure going on the Samajwadi Party.
‘Right message to Muslims in UP’
However, former Congress leader and senior political commentator Sanjay Jha feels Congress and Samajwadi Party are not in competition. He asserts that Masood’s appointment has a much bigger and important messaging for the minorities, something the Congress should have done long ago.“UP has seen a lot of polarisation under the BJP regime. Muslims form 18% of the state’s population. I think Masood’s appointment is a manifestation of Congress actually beginning to do what it should have done a long time ago, to be bold, to embrace the fact that the minorities are vulnerable under the BJP, that the Muslims need representation, and to stand for them by having a representative who is going to be a working president. The message is very clear that we are not scared, we are not fearful of the majority community treating the Congress or the Samajwadi party, as the BJP likes to call it, as the “Miya” party,” says Sanjay Jha.“I think the more the opposition becomes fearless and embraces secularism and stands up for Muslims who have been targeted in a blatant fashion, is good for politics. So I endorse the political standpoint of the Congress,” Sanjay Jha adds.Masood is a first-time MP and a prominent face in western Uttar Pradesh politics. Ahead of the 2022 UP assembly polls, Masood left the Congress and to join the SP. However, left the SP in October that year and joined the BSP, where Mayawati immediately appointed him coordinator for western UP. In August 2023, however, Mayawati expelled Masood from the party, accusing him of indiscipline and “anti-party activities”. He returned to the Congress later that year.
Don’t make public statements
Amid the tussle over seats, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dharmendra Yadav has urged Congress leaders to refrain from making public statements on seat-sharing for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and instead raise the issue directly with SP president Akhilesh Yadav.His remarks came a day after Congress’ Uttar Pradesh in-charge, Rajendra Pal Gautam, once again called for “equal share and equal respect” for the grand old party in the state.Dharmendra Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav’s cousin, described the former chief minister as a “very large-hearted leader.” “I would tell my Congress colleagues, wherever they can win, they should not keep that point in front of the media. There is no need to keep it in the media. If they present it in the right way before our leader, then the entire country knows about our leader; he is a very large-hearted leader. But I would tell my Congress colleagues to stop making statements in the media,” the Azamgarh MP said.
2024 template
The Congress-Samajwadi Party (SP) alliance won 43 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 general election, limiting the BJP to 33 in the most populous state. The SP won 37 seats, including the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat that includes Ayodhya, while Congress won six, including Saharanpur, from where Imran Masood was elected.
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While the Samajwadi Party wants this record to be the guiding principle for alliance talks and winnability to be the sole criterion, the Congress wants a greater share as it feels the SP’s improved performance was due to gains from the alliance. To prove their point, Congress leaders cite SP’s performance in 2014 and 2019 elections, when it could win only 5 seats each.Clearly, both the allies know that they need each other to take on the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Little wonder then, Rahul and Akhilesh have managed to keep the bonhomie going despite the confrontation between the state leaders. It will be interesting to see how much of a role will Congress give its new working president Imran Masood in the seat-sharing talks.
