Akhilesh Cuts I-PAC Ties Ahead Of 2027 UP polls, Cites Funds Crunch

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has ended its association with political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with party president Akhilesh Yadav citing lack of funds as the primary reason.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Yadav said the party could not continue the arrangement due to financial constraints. “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, according to PTI.

He also dismissed suggestions that the decision was linked to recent election outcomes. On a lighter note, Yadav said that if the party wanted to work with a “winning agency”, there were several options, adding that some leaders had suggested hiring multiple firms for surveys, social media work and other campaign-related activities.

The SP had earlier engaged I-PAC as part of its preparations for the 2027 polls.

The consultancy has worked on election campaigns across states and has previously been associated with political strategist Prashant Kishor.

However, another news report pointed to other factors that may have compelled the decision, citing sources within the Samajwadi Party. According to an Indian Express report, the arrest of I-PAC co-founder Vinesh Chandel by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money-laundering case raised concerns about the firm’s functioning at a key stage of election preparations. The report also said there were internal discussions within the SP on the extent of reliance on an external consultancy.

Some SP leaders favoured strengthening the party’s organisational network and feedback systems rather than depending heavily on outside agencies, said the report. Recent election cycles in which I-PAC was involved, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, formed part of the party’s internal assessment, added the report. Perceptions around these campaigns contributed to a more cautious approach, though no official statement from the SP has linked these factors directly to the decision.

Reportedly, I-PAC scaled down certain activities during the West Bengal campaign following investigative action, which raised concerns about continuity of work. There has been no detailed public statement from I-PAC on the development.

The SP’s decision comes as political parties begin early preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, where campaign planning and organisational strategy are expected to play a key role.