The political fallout from the Congress’ poor performance in the Haryana elections continued to reverberate on Tuesday, as the Samajwadi Party (SP) snubbed the Congress’ request for a seat-sharing arrangement ahead of by-polls to 10 Uttar Pradesh Assembly seats later this year. This development comes just days after the Congress faced criticism from its ally Shiv Sena (UBT) ahead of the Maharashtra elections.
SP’s Bold Move: Six Candidates Announced
The Samajwadi Party, a prominent member of the Congress-led INDIA alliance, has already named candidates for six of the 10 by-poll seats in Uttar Pradesh.
This move is significant, as the Congress had requested to contest five of the seats. The SP’s decision to field candidates independently highlights the deepening rifts within the opposition bloc.
The seat-sharing request from the Congress came in light of the party’s underwhelming performance in recent elections. The SP, on the other hand, pointed to its own superior results from the April-June general election, where it won 37 out of the 62 seats it contested, compared to the Congress’ six out of 17. In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Congress lagged behind the SP by 109 seats.
Congress Surprised by SP’s Move
The Congress has expressed surprise over the SP’s unilateral decision to field candidates. Avinash Pandey, the Congress’ state-in-charge, noted that there had been no prior communication regarding the SP’s candidate list.
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“No information was given, and there have been no talks with the INDIA alliance coordination committee yet. But as far as contesting elections is concerned, whatever decision the committee takes will be accepted by us,” Pandey said.
While acknowledging the challenges, Pandey emphasized that the Congress is not “overconfident” in Uttar Pradesh. The party has already begun preparations for the by-polls, with efforts focused on strengthening its organizational structure. Despite the setback, Pandey remained optimistic, stating that “possibilities of alliance always remain.”
Impact of Congress’ Haryana Loss
The SP’s decision to go solo in the UP by-polls is seen as a continuation of the Congress’ troubles stemming from its poor showing in the Haryana elections. In Haryana, the Congress’ inability to form alliances, particularly with the SP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was blamed for its loss in a state where exit polls had predicted a victory. Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda has been held responsible for the failure to reach a consensus with potential allies.
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The Shiv Sena (UBT), another key member of the INDIA alliance, was quick to criticize the Congress following the Haryana election results. The Sena accused the Congress of being “arrogant and overconfident,” contributing to its electoral defeat.
Strains Within the INDIA Bloc
The disagreements over seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh are the latest example of tensions within the INDIA bloc, a coalition that was formed as a non-BJP alternative. The rift between the Congress and SP highlights the challenges the alliance faces in convincing voters of its viability and unity.
The upcoming by-polls in Uttar Pradesh will serve as a litmus test for the Congress to prove its leadership within the INDIA alliance. However, with the SP’s decision to field candidates independently, the by-polls could further strain the coalition.
BJP Eyes Opportunity
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already begun preparing for the Uttar Pradesh by-polls, aiming to secure as many seats as possible. Though the BJP does not require these additional seats to maintain its control over the state government, a strong performance would help the party build momentum following its victory in the Haryana elections.
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The seat-sharing disputes in Uttar Pradesh are not the first sign of tension between the Congress and its INDIA partners. In Madhya Pradesh, the SP had also fielded its own candidates after the Congress refused to share seats. The Congress went on to lose Madhya Pradesh, and the BJP successfully flipped Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, further weakening the opposition’s position in the heartland states.
The Congress also faced criticism from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress had its own seat-sharing disagreements with the Congress during the April-June general election. Banerjee attributed the Congress’ losses in several states to votes being siphoned off by other INDIA parties.
