Political Game-Changer: Priyanka Gandhi’s Strategic Move Seals Cong-SP Alliance

In the heart of New Delhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the general secretary of Congress, engaged in a telephonic discourse with Akhilesh Yadav, the president of Samajwadi Party, on Wednesday. The aim was to unravel the impasse surrounding the seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh and swiftly finalize an alliance. Inside sources disclosed that the alliance is essentially a done deal, with the only lingering decision for the Samajwadi Party being the Shrawasti seat, which the Congress is vying for.

In the imminent Lok Sabha polls, the Congress is poised to contest in the range of 16 to 18 seats within Uttar Pradesh. Previously, the Congress had been grappling with what was perceived as an inequitable allocation of seats, particularly in constituencies with diminished prospects of victory. The party had sought alternative constituencies, prompting a renegotiation. Subsequent to the telephonic exchange between Priyanka Gandhi and Yadav, a consensus was achieved, and the Congress secured seats such as Sitapur and Barabanki.

In addition to these contested territories, the Congress is anticipated to lay claim to Kanpur, Varanasi, Saharanpur, Amroha, Fatehpur Sikri, and Jhansi, among others. A source asserts that the Congress is now receiving an equitable distribution of seats within the alliance, portraying it as a “fair deal.” In the Moradabad division, the Congress initially sought two seats but has now concurred with Amroha alone, according to sources.

Yadav, speaking on Wednesday, affirmed the likelihood of an alliance with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. His party had previously stipulated that his participation in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra would be contingent upon the acceptance of their seat-sharing proposal for the polls. Yadav refrained from participating in the yatra in Raebareli on Tuesday, fueling speculation that his involvement might materialize in Agra following the announcement of the seat-sharing arrangement.

On the preceding Monday, the Samajwadi Party had proffered 17 Lok Sabha seats to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. Both parties stand united in the INDIA bloc, a coalition forged by opposition forces to confront the BJP in the impending general elections.