The visit of two Dalit functionaries of the Congress party to the Lucknow residence of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has stirred the political waters in Uttar Pradesh, where assembly elections are scheduled for early 2027. The fact that the meeting could not take place because Mayawati was 'preoccupied' has only added to the intrigue. Political analysts suggest that the failed outreach has placed the Congress in an awkward position amid ongoing discussions about potential alliances for the 2027 polls.
Congress Distances Itself from the Development
The Congress party and its leadership have formally distanced themselves from the incident, claiming that the two Dalit functionaries—Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia and SC department national chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam—were not authorized by the party to visit the BSP supremo. Avinash Pande, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Uttar Pradesh, confirmed that the party has sought an explanation from the involved functionaries. "The party has taken note of the matter and notices have been issued to ascertain why the visit took place," he said.
Speculation of a Deliberate Outreach
Despite the official explanation, speculation persists that the move was a deliberate attempt by the Congress to reach out to Mayawati to strengthen its bargaining position in a potential alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the 2027 elections. A day after the failed outreach, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, while presiding over a meeting, emphasized that the party has ensured its cadre are 'poll ready' on all 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. "This has been done because we have always maintained that winning a seat is more important than the number of seats that SP shares with its alliance partner," Akhilesh said during the meeting at the SP headquarters in Lucknow.
Congress Prepares for Multiple Scenarios
The SP chief's statement aligns with a similar directive from the Congress camp. Avinash Pande reportedly asked six party secretaries in the state to prepare two lists of candidates for the Uttar Pradesh polls. One list includes probable candidates for all 403 assembly seats, while the second focuses on 100 to 120 seats that the party is likely to seek as its share in an alliance-type setting. This dual preparation has fueled talks that the Congress is exploring multiple options for the upcoming elections.
Recent Alliances and Breakups
The Congress party's recent decisions have further fueled speculation. The grand old party recently parted ways with its long-standing ally and INDIA bloc constituent, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), to side with the ruling coalition led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Similarly, in the West Bengal elections, the INDIA bloc parties—the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress—opted to contest separately. These moves indicate a shift in the Congress party's alliance strategy.
Akhilesh Yadav's Stance on INDIA Bloc
Interestingly, the Congress leaders reached out to Mayawati a day after Akhilesh Yadav, at an event organized by a Hindi daily, asserted that the INDIA bloc alliance was very much in place for the 2027 polls. He added that winnability would be the only factor to decide the seat-sharing formula with alliance partners. With the SP having contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the Congress, the two parties were seen as natural alliance partners for the 2027 assembly elections as well. However, the recent developments suggest that the Congress may be exploring other options to maximize its electoral prospects.
