UP Polls 2027: Akhilesh Yadav hints Congress wants 181 seats in seat-sharing talks

The seat-sharing negotiations between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections have come into focus after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav indicated that the Congress is seeking to contest 181 of the state's 403 Assembly seats.

Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2026 on Saturday, Yadav was asked how many seats the Congress had demanded for the upcoming elections. Responding to questions about whether the party had sought 100 seats, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister indicated that its demand was higher.

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When asked whether the Congress had sought 200 seats, Yadav said the number was “slightly less than that”. Asked specifically whether the demand stood at 180 seats, he replied, “Add one to 180,” suggesting that the Congress was seeking 181 constituencies, according to a Hindustan Times report.

Despite the apparent gap in expectations over seat-sharing, Yadav maintained that relations between the two parties remained good, indicating that discussions over a possible alliance were continuing.

Congress-SP alliance faces seat-sharing challenge

The remarks have brought the alliance negotiations into focus as opposition parties prepare to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state.

The Congress and the SP contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together as part of the INDIA bloc, winning a combined 43 of Uttar Pradesh's 80 parliamentary seats. The SP emerged as the alliance's dominant partner in the state, securing 37 seats, while the Congress won six. The BJP won 33 seats, marking a setback compared with its previous performance.

The alliance's showing in the parliamentary elections strengthened expectations of continued cooperation ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls. However, the distribution of constituencies could prove a major negotiating challenge. If the Congress seeks 181 seats, the SP and other potential allies would have to work out an arrangement for the remaining constituencies.

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BJP prepares for 2027 electoral battle

The BJP is also preparing to defend its position in Uttar Pradesh, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expected to remain a key figure in its campaign.

In the 2022 Assembly elections, the BJP won 255 seats, while the SP secured 111. The Congress managed to win only two constituencies, highlighting the difference between its Assembly-level performance and its gains in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

For Yadav, maintaining coordination with the Congress could be important to building a united opposition front. The SP has also been promoting its PDA strategy, which focuses on Pichhda, Dalits and Alpsankhyak (backward classes, Dalits and minorities).