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Politics
Congress asks for over 175 Uttar Pradesh seats in talks with Samajwadi Party
✍️ The Economic Times
🗓 24 Oct 2026, 05:31 AM
👁 12
The Indian National Congress is seeking to secure more than 175 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh from the Samajwadi Party as the two parties discuss a pre‑poll alliance.
New Delhi – The Indian National Congress has formally approached the Samajwadi Party (SP) with a request for allocation of over 175 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the next general election. The demand was conveyed through senior Congress officials who said the figure reflects the party's assessment of its electoral strength in the state and its desire for a meaningful partnership with the SP.
Sources close to the negotiations indicated that the Congress aims to combine its organisational network with the SP's regional base to present a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. While the exact distribution of seats remains under discussion, the Congress has signalled that it expects a substantial share to contest, given its historical presence in the state.
The move comes as both parties seek to finalize a pre‑poll alliance strategy, a development that could reshape the political calculus in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state and a decisive battleground in national politics. Analysts note that a joint ticket could consolidate anti‑BJP votes, but the final seat‑sharing formula will depend on further talks and internal calculations within both parties.
Sources close to the negotiations indicated that the Congress aims to combine its organisational network with the SP's regional base to present a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. While the exact distribution of seats remains under discussion, the Congress has signalled that it expects a substantial share to contest, given its historical presence in the state.
The move comes as both parties seek to finalize a pre‑poll alliance strategy, a development that could reshape the political calculus in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state and a decisive battleground in national politics. Analysts note that a joint ticket could consolidate anti‑BJP votes, but the final seat‑sharing formula will depend on further talks and internal calculations within both parties.