Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav has laid out a clear and pragmatic roadmap for the opposition INDIA bloc's strategy ahead of the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Speaking at a conclave organized by a private news channel on Tuesday, the former Chief Minister emphasized that the 'winnability' of a candidate will be the only criterion for seat sharing among allies, moving away from negotiations focused merely on the number of seats a partner wishes to contest.
The 'Winnability' Formula: A Repeat of 2024 Success
Akhilesh Yadav reiterated that this focus on electoral viability was the decisive factor in allocating seats during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a strategy he credited for delivering "more than encouraging" results. He provided insight into the meticulous process followed with the Congress party, a key INDIA bloc partner.
"While finalising the seat sharing equation for the 2024 polls, Congress and SP held detailed discussions on every seat that Congress asked for," he explained. The prospects of the Congress candidate were rigorously compared with those of the SP aspirant on each seat before a final decision was taken jointly by the two parties. This careful approach saw the Congress contesting 17 seats and winning 6, while the SP, fighting on 62 seats, secured victory in 37.
"Sawal seat ka nahi hai … sawal jeet ka hai … Jo jeetega wo seat wohi ladega (The question is not about the number of seats one will contest from; the question is if a particular candidate will win from a particular seat. The candidate who will ensure victory will contest from that seat)," Akhilesh stated, succinctly capturing his party's core philosophy for the upcoming state battle.
On Prashant Kishor and Congress Dynamics
When questioned about recent reports of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra meeting with election strategist Prashant Kishor and potential collaboration for the UP polls, the SP chief downplayed its significance, calling it "not a very big issue." He, however, expressed hope that the Congress would consider the performance of Kishor's own political venture, the Jan Suraaj Party, which failed to win a single seat in the recently concluded Bihar assembly elections, before engaging him for Uttar Pradesh.
Akhilesh Yadav also commented on the reported fragmentation of Prashant Kishor's consultancy firm, with different partners setting up their own entities. He indicated that if the need arises, the SP would not hesitate to seek the services of one of these partners for the 2027 electoral campaign.
Alliance Stability and Future Course
Addressing queries about comments from allies like Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD in Bihar, who pointed fingers at the Congress after the Bihar defeat, Akhilesh Yadav remained focused on his party's preparation. "Hum log apni zameen taiyar kar rahe hain … jisko jo karna hai who karta rahe … humara gathbandhan rahega (We are preparing our own ground; let others do what they are doing. Our alliance will stay)," he quipped, signaling a commitment to the INDIA bloc while underscoring the SP's independent groundwork in Uttar Pradesh.
The SP chief's statements set the stage for the next round of alliance negotiations, firmly placing the principle of maximizing winning seats above all else. This approach aims to present a united and formidable opposition front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in what is expected to be a high-stakes contest for control of India's most populous state in 2027.
