Imran Masood

With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approaching, Congress faces a strategic challenge: rebuild its independent political organisation or continue relying on alliances with the Samajwadi Party. The appointment of Aradhana Misra as UP Congress president and Imran Masood as working president signals a renewed organisational push as the party considers its electoral strategy, traditional support base and seat-sharing negotiations.

A clash broke out at the Uttar Pradesh Congress headquarters in Lucknow during an event ahead of Aradhana Misra and Imran Masood formally taking charge of their new roles. Supporters of outgoing state Congress president Ajay Rai and women party workers reportedly exchanged abuses, and shoes were allegedly hurled. The incident occurred in the presence of senior party leaders, while Misra was reportedly not present in the office when the confrontation began.

The seat-sharing dispute between the Congress and Samajwadi Party highlights the importance of winnability rather than just seat numbers in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh election. Congress is likely to push for constituencies where it has a stronger organisational presence and competitive candidates. A balanced formula based on constituency-level strength could help the SP-Congress alliance avoid internal friction and prevent Opposition votes from being divided, but prolonged disagreement over seat allocation could weaken the alliance's electoral prospects.

Uttar Pradesh politics is heating up ahead of the 2027 Assembly election as the BJP strengthens its organisation and the Samajwadi Party expands its PDA Rath campaign. At the same time, recent remarks by SP and Congress leaders have brought renewed attention to their alliance, leadership roles and the unresolved question of Assembly seat-sharing.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has indicated that his party is open to an alliance with like-minded parties ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. Congress MP Imran Masood has called for an early decision on alliance arrangements, while no final AIMIM-Congress or broader opposition alliance has been announced.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said his party is in discussions with political parties in Uttar Pradesh over a possible alliance for the 2027 Assembly elections. He said the alliance decision could be finalised by next month, adding another dimension to the opposition's electoral preparations in the state.