Congress Targets 125 Seats in Upcoming UP Alliance Talks
Priyanka Gandhi leads Congress's strategy for seat-sharing negotiations with the Samajwadi Party ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Congress aims for 125 seats in alliance talks with SP.
Priyanka Gandhi's pivotal role in negotiations highlighted.
Congress's strategy includes leveraging past electoral data.
In preparation for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Congress is targeting 125 seats as part of a potential alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP). Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress general secretary, convened a three-hour meeting with party leaders in Uttar Pradesh to discuss seat allocation strategies, focusing on approximately 175 seats during the discussions.
The Congress party has categorized its desired seats into three groups: around 100 'Category A' seats, 40 to 50 'Category B' seats, and 25 to 35 'Category C' seats. Another meeting is scheduled for later this week, where Congress is expected to present a consolidated list of 125 to 150 seats to the SP, with the aim of finalizing the seat-sharing arrangement by November.
Insiders indicate that Priyanka Gandhi will play a crucial role in the negotiations with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. In the previous elections, the Congress faced challenges, securing only two seats when it contested independently. This time, the party is basing its strategy on data from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2017 Assembly elections, aiming to contest at least one Assembly seat in every Lok Sabha constituency.
The Congress experienced a resurgence in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning six out of 17 contested seats in alliance with the SP. The party led in 38 Assembly segments and was the runner-up in 42 others, all of which are now part of its wishlist. Additionally, the Congress is keen on claiming seats in Amethi, Raebareli, and Saharanpur, currently held by SP MLAs, and is eyeing several seats previously won by the SP.
While both parties express a willingness to collaborate, the SP is reportedly hesitant to allocate more than 60-65 seats to Congress, emphasizing 'winnability' as a key factor. Congress UP in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam insists that the party deserves at least 150 seats in the alliance. Recently, Congress restructured its state organization, appointing Aradhana Misra as the new state unit chief, which signals its readiness to address SP's concerns while strengthening its position among Muslim voters ahead of the elections.
