Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday announced that the party has terminated its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), citing financial constraints rather than political motivations. Speaking at a press conference, Yadav clarified that the party had briefly engaged I-PAC as part of its early preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but was unable to sustain the arrangement due to limited resources.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said, as quoted by news agency PTI. Yadav pushed back against speculation that the move was linked to recent electoral outcomes, calling such claims unfounded. "There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he asserted.
Financial Constraints, Not Political Fallout
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister emphasized that the decision was purely financial. "This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," he added, taking a lighthearted jab at the media.
I-PAC is a prominent political consultancy known for managing campaign strategies across India. It has previously been associated with election strategist Prashant Kishor, who has worked with multiple parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress.
Critique of Political Consultancies
Yadav also took a swipe at the growing ecosystem of political consultancies, remarking that there is no shortage of firms offering campaign services, from survey agencies and social media managers to outfits specializing in negative campaigning. He added, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, that more such companies could be brought on board if resources permitted, without naming them.
This development comes amid earlier reports of uncertainty regarding the tie-up, which intensified after the Trinamool Congress's electoral setback in West Bengal. I-PAC has been handling campaign strategy for the Trinamool Congress since 2019. Sources had indicated that while I-PAC made a presentation to the Samajwadi Party leadership outlining a possible campaign blueprint, talks never progressed into a formal agreement. Party insiders also suggested that Akhilesh Yadav was not fully convinced about bringing the consultancy on board, even as discussions were initiated at the instance of the Trinamool Congress leadership.
In summary, the Samajwadi Party's decision to end its association with I-PAC stems from financial limitations, not political differences, as clarified by Akhilesh Yadav. The party had briefly engaged the consultancy for preliminary planning for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue due to a lack of funds.
