SP to contest 2027 UP elections as part of INDIA bloc, says Akhilesh Yadav

The former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said the INDIA bloc is intact, adding that the Samajwadi Party is fully prepared for the panchayat polls likely to be held early 2026

Samajwadi Party (SP) National President Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc is intact and announced that his party will contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly elections as part of the grouping of opposition parties.

 

The former UP chief minister added that the SP is fully prepared for the panchayat polls likely to be held in the state early next year.

 

“I have nothing to do with the statement given by anyone. Our INDIA alliance is intact. Those who want to leave the INDIA alliance can go,” Yadav said.

 

Yadav's remarks came in response to a recent statement by Congress MP Imran Masood, who reportedly said that his party was not a “beggar” which would ask for seats from the SP.

 

 

Both the Congress and SP are members of the opposition INDIA bloc, which was formed ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

 

Yadav’s statement is significant because the Congress and SP together delivered a strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning 43 of 80 seats in the state. 

 

Yadav also took a dig at UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya, alleging that the coaches of the so-called 'double-engine government' in the state are colliding with each other.

 

“In a place like Kaushambi, the two deputy CMs have spoiled the atmosphere, they are not letting anyone get justice... they do not want any PDA (Pichhda, Dalits, Alpasankhyak) family to get justice,” he alleged. Recently, an eight-year-old minor girl from the OBC community was allegedly raped by a man; however, a police probe reportedly did not find a case of rape to be made out based. The minor's father was reported to have died by suicide shortly after.

 

The SP leader also added that his party is in favour of conducting a caste census.

 

“If the government of the 'Samajwadis' is formed, we will get the census done in three months. Today, there is technology, today there are resources, and things can be done in less time,” he said.

 

On the panchayat elections in the state scheduled for early next year, Yadav attacked the BJP, claiming there was a rumour that the BJP had hired a consultant to oversee its strategy for the polls.   

"There are about 52,000 gram panchayats right now. They (BJP) are thinking about increasing the numbers so that our votes get messed up," he alleged, adding that “We are fully prepared for the panchayat elections. We will hold a party meeting in this regard.”

 

To a question about the success of the PDA formula in 2027, Yadav said, “This is not a formula, it is an emotional alliance. Those who are ‘pidit’ (victimised), ‘dukhi’ (sad), and ‘apmaanit’ (insulted) are in the PDA, and today I am happy that people from the Pasmanda community are also in the PDA. P also stands for Pasmanda Samaj.”