UP Congress Steps Up Organisational Overhaul, Expands Outreach Ahead Of 2027 Polls

To ensure there is no repeat of 2022, the Congress in Uttar Pradesh is attempting to rebuild its organisation and capitalise on what it sees as growing momentum ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The party is strengthening its presence from the state level down to the booth while reaching out to different sections of society as it works on its electoral strategy.

The Congress has set a series of organisational deadlines. It plans to appoint district presidents by September 15 and all block presidents by September 30. The next phase will focus on the grassroots, with Gram Panchayat Congress Committees and booth agents expected to be in place by October 30.

The party is hoping to begin seat-sharing talks with the Samajwadi Party in September and conclude them by the end of October. The party wants an arrangement based on fairness, mutual respect and trust. “We expect fairness, mutual respect and mutual trust. There should be a respectable alignment and fair seat representation,” said Rajendra Pal Gautam, the Congress's Uttar Pradesh in-charge.

Uttar Pradesh has 403 Assembly seats. Ten years ago, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress formed an alliance for the elections, with the Samajwadi Party contesting 298 seats and the Congress 105.

After the second week of August, observers including Ganesh Yadav, Morarilal Meena, Anjali Nimbalkar, Kuldeep Vats, Chetan Chauhan, Rehana Chishti, CP Joshi, Raghu Sharma, Poonam Aswan, Ashok Tanwar, Virendar Rathore, Sitaram Lamba and Pawan Godara travelled to different districts with party workers as part of Sangathan Srijan to discuss organisational issues and invite applications for DCC presidents.

The party also aims to complete its manifesto by October 30. It is consulting different sections of society rather than preparing the document solely within the party. Congress leaders have met farmers, labourers, lawyers, small business owners, Dalits and minorities, particularly Muslims, to understand their concerns and incorporate their views.

Students and academics have also been part of the outreach. Gautam has met students in Lucknow, Prayagraj and Varanasi. The Congress team has also visited university hostels, including Dr Ambedkar hostels in Lucknow and Prayagraj, to engage with students and hear their concerns.

Farmers and economically distressed regions have received particular attention. Congress leaders have met farmers in Baghpat and the Babina area of Jhansi. In Bundelkhand, the party has focused on poverty and caste divisions, which it believes could become important issues in the 2027 election.

The Congress has also held meetings with Scheduled Caste and OBC communities. SC representatives raised issues including access to government jobs and alleged police atrocities. The party is seeking to understand the concerns of both communities as it shapes its broader political strategy.

The outreach has extended to civil society and professional groups. Congress leaders have met academics and intellectuals, including professors, judges, vice-chancellors, lawyers and retired High Court judges. One such meeting was held at the Awadh Hotel in Lucknow in early August.

The party has also begun reaching out to Brahmins. A small meeting has already been held, while a larger interaction is being planned.

Alongside the outreach, the Congress has started reshaping its organisation. Six party secretaries have been removed after spending considerable time in Uttar Pradesh without, according to the party, producing visible results. They are Dheeraj Gurjar, Nilanshu Chaturvedi, Pradeep Narwal, Rajesh Tiwari, Satyanarayan Patel and Tauquir Alam. Of these, Gurjar is considered close to Sachin Pilot.

Additionally, the party has appointed Abhishek Dutt, Kunal Choudhary, Jagdish Chander Jangid, Sanjeev Arya and Varun Choudhary as AICC secretaries attached to the UP in-charge.

This time, the responsibility for its 2027 Uttar Pradesh campaign is largely in the hands of Rahul Gandhi’s team, rather than the team that worked under Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The Congress's Uttar Pradesh strategy is taking shape on two tracks: rebuilding its organisation and expanding its social and political outreach. With the 2027 election still months away, the party is using the time to strengthen its grassroots network, finalise its manifesto and work out the contours of its alliance with the Samajwadi Party.