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Ahead Of 2026 Panchayat Polls, Congress Opts For Solo Fight In Uttar Pradesh
Ahead Of 2026 Panchayat Polls, Congress Opts For Solo Fight In Uttar Pradesh
The shift comes at a time when the Grand Old Party is recalibrating its strategy in the Hindi heartland, especially after its poor performance in the recent Bihar assembly polls
The Congress-Samajwadi Party (SP) alliance in Uttar Pradesh has hit a significant roadblock ahead of the 2026 panchayat elections, with the Congress formally announcing that it will contest the polls alone. The decision was finalised on Wednesday during a high-level meeting 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 Old Party is recalibrating its strategy in the Hindi heartland, especially after its poor performance in the recent Bihar assembly elections. The rethink began earlier this year, when UP Congress chief Ajay Rai publicly declared that the party would contest all 11 MLC seats independently—an early indication of the organisational assertion the party was preparing for.
‘Going Solo Will Help Strengthen Our Roots': Ajay Rai
Speaking exclusively to News18, Rai confirmed that the party will contest the 2026 panchayat elections alone. “Congress will contest the 2026 panchayat elections alone. This will help us reach out to the grassroots and strengthen our organisational roots in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
On the crucial question of seat-sharing for the 2027 state assembly elections with the Samajwadi Party, Rai made an important clarification. “The party is yet to decide whether we will contest the 2027 state assembly elections alone or as part of an alliance. Our focus right now is on strengthening the organisation,” he told News18.
Blueprint For Revival Presented To High Command
A day before the 10, Janpath meeting, UP in-charge Avinash Pande held a closed-door discussion at his residence with MPs Imran Masood, Tanuj Punia, Ujjwal Raman Singh, Kishori Lal Sharma, Rakesh Rathour, and Ajay Rai. The leaders deliberated a detailed blueprint highlighting that Congress has relatively little at stake in UP before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, making this the ideal period to rebuild independently at the grassroots.
Barabanki MP Punia also confirmed that the party leadership discussed the upcoming December 14 mega rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan and instructed all MPs to ensure robust mobilisation. The Congress intends to foreground issues such as alleged voter list discrepancies, voter suppression, and constitutional concerns.
The internal review submitted in Delhi also hinted that SP received a significant boost in Dalit votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due to its alliance with Congress. Yet, the same Dalit voters hesitate to directly back the SP, and Congress wants to test if contesting alone in the panchayat polls could help it reclaim that electorate.
Alliance Stresses Despite Lok Sabha Success
The SP-Congress alliance had delivered a surprising setback to the BJP in UP during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While SP won 37 of the 62 seats it contested, Congress secured six victories out of 17, achieving a strike rate of 35.29 per cent. The combined opposition surge ensured that the BJP failed to secure a majority on its own—a rare outcome in UP.
Following this success, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav repeatedly asserted that both parties would contest the 2027 assembly elections together. However, the Bihar results have complicated negotiations around seat-sharing. SP, which contested 340 seats in 2022, is reportedly reluctant to offer Congress more than 50-60 seats, while Congress wants an expanded share.
The strain was evident recently when Congress opted out of the UP assembly bypolls after SP offered it seats like Ghaziabad and Khair instead of preferred constituencies such as Mirapur, Prayagraj, or Mau. SP later suffered a setback in the crucial Milkipur seat.
‘Congress Is Increasing Its Bargaining Capacity'
Political expert Dr Shashikant Pandey, Head, Department of Political Science, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, interprets the Congress move 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 said.
He pointed out that Congress still enjoys relative strength in urban teacher and graduate constituencies across cities like Prayagraj, Kanpur, Banaras, Gorakhpur, Meerut, and Ghaziabad—segments where SP has traditionally faced limitations.
Congress Rebuilding ‘Booth by Booth'
To operationalise its revival, the party has launched a Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan, a 100-day campaign focusing on strengthening booth networks and membership. Those who enroll the highest number of members are likely to be rewarded with panchayat poll tickets, and the best-performing grassroots leaders may even be considered for the 2027 assembly elections.
Congress has also classified all 403 assembly constituencies into three strategic categories to streamline its organisational efforts. Category A, comprising 200 seats, includes constituencies where the party believes it has a strong traditional base and a natural advantage. Category B, with 50 seats, covers segments considered winnable with modest organisational and resource investment. The remaining 153 seats fall under Category C, which are seen as weak areas where the party plans to focus on alliances, renewed outreach, and the creation of new social coalitions to strengthen its presence.
A Show of Strength Ahead of 2027, With Eyes Firmly on 2029
UP's political analysts believe that Congress's broader objective extends beyond the 2027 assembly 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.
While the alliance with SP may remain intact for 2027, the Congress wants to enter seat-sharing talks from a position of strength—not dependency. Contesting the panchayat and MLC polls alone is both an organisational necessity and a political message.
With the 2026 panchayat elections now emerging as the first real test of the Congress revival plan in UP, the party is betting on grassroots consolidation to restore its relevance and boost its leverage for the battles ahead.
Source: News18
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