Buoyed by their success in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress are preparing to contest the upcoming bypolls for 10 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh together. The alliance, which secured 43 out of 80 seats in the Lok Sabha, sees this as an opportunity to continue their winning streak and strengthen their position in the state.
The camaraderie between SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, which was evident during the Lok Sabha elections, is expected to carry over into the bypolls. The political landscape in Uttar Pradesh is set for another intense battle, raising questions about whether this partnership will yield the same level of success.
Background and Current Scenario
Nine MLAs from the ruling BJP and the opposition SP won seats in the Lok Sabha and have resigned from the Assembly to retain their parliamentary positions. Additionally, the Sishamau Assembly seat is expected to be vacated as its MLA, Irfan Solanki, faces a seven-year imprisonment sentence for arson. Akhilesh Yadav has vacated his Karhal Assembly seat to focus on his Kannauj parliamentary constituency, which he won by a significant margin. Similarly, SP MLAs Awadhesh Prasad from Milkipur (Ayodhya) and Lalji Verma have resigned.
BJP’s Challenge
The BJP faces a tough challenge to recover from its below-average performance in the Lok Sabha elections, despite having the advantage of the Modi-Yogi factor and a double-engine government at both the state and central levels. The party’s prestige is on the line, particularly in Ayodhya’s Milkipur Assembly seat, where it aims to reverse its fortunes after the Lok Sabha defeat despite significant development projects like the construction of the Ram temple.
BJP sources indicate plans to field a Pasi candidate in Milkipur, hoping to attract votes from this community after a previous defeat in Faizabad.
SP-Congress Strategy
The SP is expected to field Akhilesh Yadav’s nephew, Tej Pratap Yadav, in the Karhal Assembly seat. Akhilesh had previously won this seat in 2022, defeating the BJP’s SP Singh Baghel by 67,000 votes. The SP and Congress alliance is likely to continue through the 2027 Assembly elections, with both parties seeking to build on their recent momentum. The Congress has shown interest in fielding candidates in a few seats, and sources suggest that SP might offer one or two seats to Congress, potentially including Ghaziabad.
Key Seats and Candidates
Apart from Milkipur, other key seats going to bypolls include Katheri, where MLA Lalji Verma won the Ambedkarnagar parliamentary seat, defeating BJP’s Ritesh Pandey. Other contested seats are Kundarki (Moradabad), Khair (Aligarh), Sadar (Ghaziabad), Phulpur (Prayagraj), Meerapur, and Majhva (Mirzapur).
UP Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey and UP Congress chief Ajay Rai have expressed confidence in continuing the alliance with SP, citing a significant shift of Dalit and non-Yadav OBC votes towards SP. The combined efforts of SP and Congress aim to capitalize on this momentum to challenge the BJP’s dominance in the state.
As the bypolls approach, the political atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh is heating up, promising another round of high-stakes electoral battles. Both alliances will leave no stone unturned in their quest for victory, setting the stage for a fiercely contested political showdown.