Final Up to date:December 04, 2025, 15:22 IST
The shift comes at a time when the Grand Outdated Social gathering is recalibrating its technique within the Hindi heartland, particularly after its poor efficiency within the current Bihar meeting polls
Whereas the alliance with SP might stay intact for 2027, the Congress needs to enter seat-sharing talks from a place of power—not dependency. (PTI)
The Congress-Samajwadi Social gathering (SP) alliance in Uttar Pradesh has hit a big roadblock forward of the 2026 panchayat elections, with the Congress formally asserting that it’s going to contest the polls alone. The choice was finalised on Wednesday throughout a high-level assembly at 10, Janpath, in Delhi, attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and all six Congress MPs from Uttar Pradesh.
The shift comes at a time when the Grand Outdated Social gathering is recalibrating its technique within the Hindi heartland, particularly after its poor efficiency within the current Bihar meeting elections. The rethink started earlier this yr, when UP Congress chief Ajay Rai publicly declared that the occasion would contest all 11 MLC seats independently—an early indication of the organisational assertion the occasion was getting ready for.
‘Going Solo Will Help Strengthen Our Roots’: Ajay Rai
Blueprint For Revival Introduced To Excessive Command
A day earlier than the ten, Janpath assembly, UP in-charge Avinash Pande held a closed-door dialogue at his residence with MPs Imran Masood, Tanuj Punia, Ujjwal Raman Singh, Kishori Lal Sharma, Rakesh Rathour, and Ajay Rai. The leaders deliberated an in depth blueprint highlighting that Congress has comparatively little at stake in UP earlier than the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, making this the best interval to rebuild independently on the grassroots.
Barabanki MP Punia additionally confirmed that the occasion management mentioned the upcoming December 14 mega rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan and instructed all MPs to make sure strong mobilisation. The Congress intends to foreground points corresponding to alleged voter record discrepancies, voter suppression, and constitutional considerations.
The inner assessment submitted in Delhi additionally hinted that SP acquired a big enhance in Dalit votes within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections attributable to its alliance with Congress. But, the identical Dalit voters hesitate to immediately again the SP, and Congress needs to check if contesting alone within the panchayat polls may assist it reclaim that voters.
Alliance Stresses Regardless of Lok Sabha Success
The SP-Congress alliance had delivered a stunning setback to the BJP in UP through the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Whereas SP received 37 of the 62 seats it contested, Congress secured six victories out of 17, attaining a strike fee of 35.29 per cent. The mixed opposition surge ensured that the BJP did not safe a majority by itself—a uncommon final result in UP.
The pressure was evident just lately when Congress opted out of the UP meeting bypolls after SP supplied it seats like Ghaziabad and Khair as an alternative of most well-liked constituencies corresponding to Mirapur, Prayagraj, or Mau. SP later suffered a setback within the essential Milkipur seat.
‘Congress Is Increasing Its Bargaining Capacity’
Political skilled Dr Shashikant Pandey, Head, Division of Political Science, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar College, Lucknow, interprets the Congress transfer as a deeper strategic manoeuvre.
“The decision to fight the panchayat and MLC elections independently is aimed at enhancing Congress’s bargaining capacity for the 2027 assembly elections. These local-level polls are important for organisational consolidation, and Congress wants to project itself as a strong independent force rather than a junior partner,” Pandey stated.
He identified that Congress nonetheless enjoys relative power in city instructor and graduate constituencies throughout cities like Prayagraj, Kanpur, Banaras, Gorakhpur, Meerut, and Ghaziabad—segments the place SP has historically confronted limitations.
Congress Rebuilding ‘Booth by Booth’
To operationalise its revival, the occasion has launched a Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan, a 100-day marketing campaign specializing in strengthening sales space networks and membership. Those that enroll the very best variety of members are more likely to be rewarded with panchayat ballot tickets, and the best-performing grassroots leaders might even be thought-about for the 2027 meeting elections.
Congress has additionally labeled all 403 meeting constituencies into three strategic classes to streamline its organisational efforts. Class A, comprising 200 seats, contains constituencies the place the occasion believes it has a robust conventional base and a pure benefit. Class B, with 50 seats, covers segments thought-about winnable with modest organisational and useful resource funding. The remaining 153 seats fall underneath Class C, that are seen as weak areas the place the occasion plans to give attention to alliances, renewed outreach, and the creation of recent social coalitions to strengthen its presence.
A Present of Power Forward of 2027, With Eyes Firmly on 2029
UP’s political analysts imagine that Congress’s broader goal extends past the 2027 meeting elections. “The long-term target for the Congress is the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. But before that, the party needs to rebuild its command structure and grassroots presence in UP,” he explains.
Whereas the alliance with SP might stay intact for 2027, the Congress needs to enter seat-sharing talks from a place of power—not dependency. Contesting the panchayat and MLC polls alone is each an organisational necessity and a political message.
With the 2026 panchayat elections now rising as the primary actual take a look at of the Congress revival plan in UP, the occasion is betting on grassroots consolidation to revive its relevance and enhance its leverage for the battles forward.
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Location :
Uttar Pradesh, India, India
First Printed:
December 04, 2025, 14:56 IST
Information elections Forward Of 2026 Panchayat Polls, Congress Opts For Solo Combat In Uttar Pradesh
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