UP Assembly Elections 2027: SP MP Questions Congress’s 150-Seat Claim, Says Seat-Sharing Talks Need Ground-Level Assessment

Pratapgarh: The proposed seat-sharing arrangement between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections has become a subject of political discussion, with SP Rajya Sabha MP SP Singh Patel questioning the Congress’s reported demand for around 150 constituencies.

According to the remarks attributed to Patel, asking for 150 seats would amount to seeking nearly half of the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly. He argued that seat allocation should take into account the candidates, organisation and electoral presence of each alliance partner.

‘150 seats is a very large demand’

Speaking about the reported Congress claim, Patel said that seeking 150 constituencies was not justified in his view. He suggested that the Congress should consider a significantly smaller number of seats.

Patel also questioned whether the Congress currently has enough candidates and organisational strength to contest such a large number of constituencies.

He further said that seat-sharing negotiations were still some distance away and that the final arrangement should emerge through discussions between the alliance partners.

SP preparing across a large number of seats

The comments come amid preparations by the Samajwadi Party for the 2027 Assembly elections.

Party president Akhilesh Yadav has reportedly asked party workers and office-bearers to begin preparations across a large number of constituencies. This has added another dimension to the ongoing discussion over how many seats could eventually be contested by each party if an alliance takes shape.

At present, the exact seat-sharing formula between the SP and Congress has not been formally finalised.

Patel questions candidate availability

One of the central arguments made by the SP MP was about the availability of candidates.

Patel said that once particular constituencies are allocated to the Congress, the alliance could face questions over who would contest from those seats. He argued that a party seeking a large number of constituencies should also have the organisational and candidate base required to contest them.

His comments reflect one view within the SP over how the proposed alliance should approach seat-sharing.

‘Seat-sharing should be based on political strength’

Patel also referred to the importance of electoral support and organisational presence while discussing the Congress demand.

He suggested that parties should assess their respective ground-level strength before deciding the number of constituencies each partner receives. At the same time, he indicated that there was still sufficient time before the 2027 election and that negotiations could continue.

The Congress’s reported demand and the SP’s response therefore appear to be part of an ongoing internal discussion rather than a finalised seat-sharing arrangement.

Exchange over Keshav Prasad Maurya’s remarks

The SP MP also responded to remarks attributed to Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who had used the phrases “Sapanath” for the SP, “Nagnath” for the BSP and “Kaliya Nag” for the Congress.

Patel criticised the language used by Maurya and alleged that such remarks were inappropriate. He also made political claims regarding the treatment of backward communities under the BJP-led government.

Those allegations represent Patel’s political assessment and are disputed in the broader political debate.

Alliance talks remain a work in progress

The latest comments highlight the complexities involved in seat-sharing negotiations ahead of a major state election.

For the SP and Congress, the eventual formula would involve decisions on constituency distribution, candidate selection and campaign coordination. Until the parties make a formal announcement, claims about the final number of seats for either party remain part of the ongoing political discussion.

(SDNA)