UP Assembly Polls 2027: Akhilesh Yadav Hints At Congress Demanding 181 Seats

Congress wants to contest 181 of Uttar Pradesh’s 403 Assembly seats in the 2027 polls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav indicated on Saturday, while insisting that the SP and the INDIA bloc will stay together against the BJP, PTI reported.

The signal matters because seat sharing will shape the opposition’s plan in India’s most politically important State. Yadav also sought to shut down speculation over any split in the opposition camp, saying the INDIA bloc would remain united to take on the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

“We have made up our mind on how many seats we will contest. The Samajwadi Party and the INDIA alliance will defeat the BJP together,” he said. He also added that the “theft” of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya would be a major poll issue.

Seat Demand Signals

The number emerged through a back-and-forth at the Delhi summit. When asked whether Congress was seeking 100 seats, Yadav said the party wanted more than that.

When asked if the demand was for 200 seats, he replied, “A little less than that.” When the interviewer suggested 180 seats, Yadav responded, “Add one more.” Indicating that the Congress has sought 181 seats from the SP. The figure is politically significant because the Uttar Pradesh Assembly has 403 seats, making the demand close to half the House.

Yadav ruled out thinking about any other arrangement while staying within the current opposition front. Asked if he was considering an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, he said he does not think of other alliances while being part of an existing one.

He also pointed to the SP’s past alliance-making and its effort to bring together people who believe in the principles of B R Ambedkar. The BSP is not part of the INDIA opposition bloc.

“The INDIA alliance with the Congress is the same alliance that we had earlier. I do not see any change in it,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

Ayodhya And Ram Temple

Yadav also spoke about his proposed Ayodhya visit. He said he would first visit Kedareshwar Dham in Etawah and then seek the blessings of Lord Ram.

He said SP leaders had arranged an invitation for him after consulting prominent people and fixing an auspicious date. A senior SP leader had earlier claimed that Yadav would visit Ayodhya on December 12.

“I will have darshan first and then seek blessings,” Yadav said. He added that he wanted to thank the people of Faizabad, which includes Ayodhya, for backing the SP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. SP’s Awadesh Prasad won the Ayodhya Lok Sabha seat in that election.

Yadav linked that result to a wider political message. “The people of Ayodhya and the sensible voters of Uttar Pradesh ended the BJP's communal politics at the very place from where it had started. They have given a message that change is coming,” he said.

He also accused the BJP of failing to protect devotees’ religious sentiments by allowing a “theft” of offerings at the Ram temple. “Crores of devotees donated money and offerings out of their faith. That money was stolen. Our chief minister (Yogi Adityanath) was setting a world record by visiting Ayodhya, but he did not know that offerings were being stolen there,” he said.

Poll Verdict And Critique

Yadav used the discussion to argue that social groups are regrouping against the BJP. On whether the BSP’s traditional voters were shifting, he said people from the Bahujan community, Ambedkarite groups and those committed to protecting the Constitution and democracy were coming together under the “PDA” umbrella of backward communities, Dalits and minorities.

He argued that the BJP’s falling support in Uttar Pradesh had already shown up in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He rejected the suggestion that the verdict was only a message to the Centre and that voters could still return to the BJP in the next Assembly poll.

Yadav said the 2024 verdict was against injustice, discrimination, unemployment and unkept promises on investment and jobs. He then widened his attack to the BJP-led State government.

He alleged that more than 20 competitive examination papers had been leaked in Uttar Pradesh. He also raised the issue of recruitment for 69,000 assistant teachers and alleged that candidates were being denied their reservation rights.

Yadav further accused the government of challenging court verdicts in recruitment and reservation cases. He also criticised the Agniveer recruitment scheme in the armed forces, saying it had hurt employment prospects for young people in Uttar Pradesh, a State that has traditionally sent large numbers of recruits to the armed forces.

On law and order, Yadav alleged that fake encounters and police excesses had led to deaths in Uttar Pradesh. He also accused the BJP-led State government of not addressing concerns raised by courts.

(With PTI Inputs)