Akhilesh Yadav Says Congress Wants 181 UP Seats

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has indicated that the Congress wants to contest 181 of Uttar Pradesh’s 403 Assembly constituencies in the 2027 elections. His remarks have brought seat-sharing negotiations between the two opposition allies into focus well ahead of the state polls.

Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2026 on Saturday, Yadav was asked whether Congress had demanded 200 seats. He responded that the number was slightly lower. When asked specifically whether the party had sought 180 constituencies, he replied: “Add one to 180.”

Despite revealing the reported demand, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister described the relationship between the Samajwadi Party and Congress as “very good”. His comments suggest that discussions are continuing, although the final seat-sharing arrangement has not been announced.

The negotiations are important for the opposition INDIA alliance as it prepares to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India’s most populous state.

Akhilesh Yadav reveals Congress’s 181-seat demand

Yadav disclosed the figure while discussing the political understanding between the SP and Congress ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

When questioned about the number of constituencies Congress wanted to contest, he indicated that its demand was higher than 100 but below 200. His response, “Add one to 180”, suggested that the party had sought 181 seats.

The remark has attracted attention because Uttar Pradesh has 403 Assembly constituencies. If Congress were to contest 181 seats, the Samajwadi Party and any other potential allies would need to agree on how to distribute the remaining 222 constituencies.

However, Yadav’s statement should not be treated as a final agreement. It reflects his account of Congress’s demand during ongoing discussions, and neither party has announced a completed seat-sharing arrangement.

His positive description of the relationship between the two parties also indicates that the SP leadership is keen to maintain cooperation despite the challenge of dividing constituencies.

SP-Congress alliance gained momentum after 2024 Lok Sabha elections

The Samajwadi Party and Congress contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh as allies under the INDIA opposition bloc. Their combined performance strengthened expectations that the partnership would continue into the next Assembly election.

Of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 parliamentary constituencies, the SP won 37 seats, while Congress secured six. Together, the parties won 43 seats, giving the opposition alliance a significant presence in the state.

The BJP won 33 seats, down from 62 in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Its reduced tally in Uttar Pradesh was one of the major developments of the 2024 general election.

The results demonstrated the electoral strength the two opposition parties could achieve when contesting together. They also gave Congress a stronger position in Uttar Pradesh Politics compared with its performance in the previous Assembly election.

However, parliamentary and Assembly elections involve different political calculations. The issues influencing voters, local candidates, constituency-level alliances and campaign strategies can vary considerably between the two contests.

Congress faces a challenge after weak performance in 2022 UP polls

The reported demand for 181 seats is particularly notable given Congress’s limited performance in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Congress contested those elections independently and won just two of the state’s 403 constituencies. The result highlighted the party’s weakened organisational and electoral position in Uttar Pradesh after decades of declining influence.

The Samajwadi Party performed considerably better, winning 111 seats and emerging as the principal opposition party. The BJP secured 255 seats and retained power in the state.

Congress’s improved performance in the 2024 parliamentary elections has changed the context of the alliance discussions. Its six Lok Sabha victories in Uttar Pradesh gave it a stronger electoral presence than its two-seat Assembly tally in 2022 might suggest.

Nevertheless, the difference between the two elections could become an important consideration during negotiations. The SP will have to assess Congress’s current electoral strength, its organisational presence and the constituencies where the party believes it can compete effectively.

Why seat-sharing could become a major challenge for the opposition

Seat-sharing is often one of the most difficult stages of building an electoral alliance. Parties must balance their individual political ambitions with the broader objective of presenting a united challenge to their common opponent.

In Uttar Pradesh, the issue is especially important because the state has 403 constituencies and a large number of regional political interests. Both the SP and Congress will want to contest seats where they believe their candidates have a realistic opportunity of winning.

A demand for 181 constituencies would give Congress a substantial share of the available seats. It would also leave the SP and other potential alliance partners to negotiate over the remaining constituencies.

Several factors could influence the final arrangement:

• Previous electoral performance: The parties may consider their results in the 2022 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
• Local political strength: Candidate popularity, organisational networks and constituency-level support could influence which party contests a seat.
• Alliance coordination: The parties will need to avoid competing against one another in constituencies where they intend to support a common candidate.
• Other opposition partners: Any additional parties seeking a role in the alliance could make the distribution more complicated.
• Electoral strategy: Both parties will need to consider how the final arrangement could help them challenge the BJP across the state.

A disagreement over the number of seats could create tension, but it does not necessarily mean the alliance will break down. Negotiations can involve initial demands that change as parties discuss individual constituencies and their wider electoral priorities.

BJP remains the main electoral challenge in Uttar Pradesh

The opposition parties are preparing for an election in which the BJP will seek to defend its position in the state.

In 2022, the BJP won 255 Assembly seats, comfortably retaining a majority. The Samajwadi Party secured 111 constituencies, while Congress managed only two victories.

The 2024 Lok Sabha results, however, altered the political picture. The SP-Congress alliance won 43 of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 parliamentary seats, while the BJP’s tally fell to 33.

That result has given the opposition parties a basis for arguing that coordinated campaigning could make a difference in the next state election. It has also increased the importance of maintaining cooperation between the SP and Congress.

For the BJP, the 2027 contest will involve defending its Assembly majority against an opposition that has demonstrated its ability to win parliamentary constituencies through coordinated campaigning.

What happens next in SP-Congress seat-sharing talks?

Yadav’s comments have brought the reported Congress demand into the public discussion, but several questions remain unanswered. The parties have yet to announce the final number of seats each will contest or explain how they intend to resolve differences over individual constituencies.

Congress will also need to clarify its position on the reported 181-seat demand if negotiations are to move towards a formal arrangement.

For the Samajwadi Party, the challenge will be to maintain its position as the principal opposition force in Uttar Pradesh while accommodating its alliance partner. For Congress, the negotiations offer an opportunity to build on its improved parliamentary performance and strengthen its presence ahead of the Assembly polls.

Yadav’s description of the relationship as “very good” provides a positive public signal, but the actual distribution of seats will be a more concrete test of the partnership.

With the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approaching, the two parties will need to turn their shared electoral interests into an agreed strategy. Whether they can reach a mutually acceptable seat-sharing formula could play an important role in shaping the opposition’s campaign against the BJP.