Uttar Pradesh Politics: SP-Congress Differences Surface as BJP and Opposition Step Up 2027 Preparations

Lucknow: Political activity in Uttar Pradesh is intensifying ahead of the 2027 Assembly election, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress stepping up their organisational and public outreach efforts.

The political focus is increasingly turning towards the relationship between the SP and Congress. The two parties worked together during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, but recent remarks by leaders from both sides have highlighted differences over the role of each party and the possible seat-sharing arrangement for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

At the same time, the BJP is strengthening its organisation in the state, while SP president Akhilesh Yadav has begun taking the party's PDA message to voters through the PDA Rath campaign.

SP-Congress Differences Come Into Focus

The latest discussion began after Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan said that Congress would not be able to achieve much on its own in Uttar Pradesh and argued that Akhilesh Yadav was the leader capable of taking on the BJP in the state.

Her comments were followed by responses from Congress leaders. Congress MP Imran Masood stressed the importance of the two parties working together, while Congress leader Udit Raj pointed to the combined performance of the SP and Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha (opens in a new tab) election.

The exchange has brought renewed attention to an important question for the 2027 election: how the SP and Congress will coordinate if they decide to continue their electoral partnership.

There has not yet been a publicly announced seat-sharing formula for the 403 Assembly constituencies. The Times of India reported that while Akhilesh Yadav has indicated that the SP intends to contest the 2027 election (opens in a new tab) with INDIA bloc partners with whom it fought the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress has not publicly announced a final Assembly seat-sharing arrangement with the SP.

The 'UP Ke Ladke' Partnership Faces a New Test

The current discussion also brings back the political image of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi as the "UP ke ladke".

The phrase became associated with the two leaders during the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election campaign, when the SP and Congress contested the election together. The alliance did not produce the expected electoral result, and the BJP won a majority in the state.

The two parties subsequently worked together again during the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

In Uttar Pradesh, the SP contested 62 of the state's 80 Lok Sabha constituencies and won 37 seats, while Congress contested 17 and won six. Together, the parties won 43 seats. The BJP won 33 seats in the state.

These results provide an important reference point for the current discussions, but they do not determine the outcome of the 2027 Assembly election.

Seat-Sharing Becomes a Key Issue

With 403 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, the distribution of constituencies between potential allies is likely to remain an important organisational issue.

Akhilesh Yadav has said that the SP will contest the 2027 election in an alliance and has indicated that the ability to win a particular constituency should be an important consideration in seat allocation.

However, a final seat-sharing agreement between the SP and Congress has not been publicly announced. The parties therefore still have to work out the details of any possible Assembly arrangement.

The issue is significant because the SP emerged as the larger party within the opposition alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, while Congress also increased its representation in Uttar Pradesh compared with the previous Lok Sabha election.

Akhilesh Yadav Expands PDA Rath Campaign

While alliance discussions continue, Akhilesh Yadav has taken the SP's PDA campaign to the ground.

The party launched its PDA Rath campaign from Rae Bareli, with Yadav presenting the PDA — Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak — as a central component of the SP's political strategy.

Rae Bareli is also the Lok Sabha constituency represented by Rahul Gandhi, giving the campaign launch additional significance for the SP-Congress relationship.

The PDA campaign is intended to connect the SP's political message with backward communities, Dalits and minorities. The campaign is part of the party's wider preparations for the 2027 Assembly election.

BJP Strengthens Organisation in Uttar Pradesh

The BJP is also moving into a more active phase of preparation.

According to recent reporting, the party has placed its western Uttar Pradesh organisation under review as part of its preparations for the 2027 election. BJP national president Nitin Nabin also visited Meerut and Saharanpur as the party examined its organisational structure in the region.

The BJP's preparations are taking place alongside the SP's statewide PDA outreach. The competing organisational activities indicate that parties (opens in a new tab) are beginning to move beyond internal planning towards more visible campaign preparations.

The BJP remains focused on its booth-level organisation and regional political network as the next Assembly election approaches.

BJP and SP Present Different Political Narratives

The BJP and SP are also putting forward different political narratives for the upcoming election.

Akhilesh Yadav has criticised the BJP government over issues including employment, inflation, governance and what he describes as "bulldozer politics." These are political criticisms made by the SP leadership.

The BJP, meanwhile, has continued to criticise the SP over its political record, organisation and alliance strategy.

The political debate is therefore developing around several issues, including governance, employment, development, law and order, social representation and alliances.

Congress Position Remains Important

Congress faces a separate strategic question in Uttar Pradesh: how it will position itself within any potential arrangement with the SP.

The 2024 Lok Sabha election demonstrated that the two parties (opens in a new tab) could coordinate electorally, but the 2027 Assembly election involves a much larger number of constituencies and different local political calculations.

The recent public exchange between SP and Congress leaders has therefore brought the question of coordination back into focus.

For now, neither party has announced a complete Assembly seat-sharing formula.

2027 Election Preparations Accelerate

The BJP, SP and Congress are now increasingly active on the ground as Uttar Pradesh moves closer to the 2027 Assembly election.

The BJP is concentrating on organisational strengthening, particularly in important regions such as western Uttar Pradesh. The SP is expanding its PDA Rath campaign, while Congress continues to assess its position and relationship with the SP.

The political environment is also different from 2017, when the SP-Congress alliance was popularly associated with the "UP ke ladke" campaign. The two parties later worked together again in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, but the question of their Assembly-level arrangement remains open.

As preparations continue, alliance coordination, seat-sharing, organisational strength, social coalitions, governance and development are expected to remain major themes in Uttar Pradesh politics ahead of the 2027 Assembly election.