More Trouble for INDI Bloc: SP-Cong Seat Sharing Ahead of LS Polls to Hit Roadblock?

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav recently announced that his party will allocate 11 seats to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However the decision has stirred speculations, especially  at a time when Congress was anticipating a larger share of seats, as per sources. Some see it as a strategic move by Yadav to exert pressure on Congress, possibly taking advantage of the ongoing dynamics within the ‘Breaking Indi Alliance’.

Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav had also declared the allocation of 7 seats to the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), indicating that the Samajwadi Party aims to contest on 62 out of the 80 total seats in the state. Expressing optimism about the alliance, Yadav mentioned, “Our cordial alliance with the Congress is off to a good start with 11 strong seats. This trend will move forward with the winning equation. 'INDI bloc' team and 'PDA' strategy will change history.”

The development unfolds at a crucial time when there are indications of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar considering a return to the BJP-led NDA, potentially impacting the united opposition front. Kumar, who initially aligned with the RJD and formed the opposition bloc INDI , may pose a significant challenge to the opposition alliance if he decides to rejoin the NDA.

The fate of Congress seems uncertain as it now needs to  navigate an already complex political landscape, with alliances shifting and strategies evolving. Additionally UP Congress President Ajay Rai said ,” talks are going on regarding giving 11 seats to Akhilesh. The committee headed by Mukul Wasnik will decide on this.”

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also has expressed confidence in the Indi alliance, underlining it has a singular national focus. Additionally, Ramesh credited the Bihar Chief Minister and West Bengal Chief Minister as key architects of the alliance. Further he said, “This is not an alliance in which local issues will take precedence over national issues. National issues will get priority.”