Alliance victory matters more than seat-sharing: Akhilesh Yadav

• Akhilesh Yadav says the opposition alliance’s victory matters more than seat allocations as SP and Congress hold talks for the 2027 UP assembly polls

• Yadav calls for unity to protect democracy, the Constitution and reservation, and to counter communalism

• SP and Congress had won 37 and six Lok Sabha seats respectively in UP in 2024; they currently have 101 and two MLAs in the state assembly

Amid ongoing seat-sharing talks with the Congress ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the opposition alliance’s victory was more important than the number of seats allocated to individual parties.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister called for a united effort to protect democracy, the Constitution and reservation, saying the alliance should focus on its broader objective rather than differences over constituencies.

“When the objective is clear, there is hand-in-hand cooperation; when the destination is in sight, the journey becomes easier,” Yadav said in a post on X.

He said the key issue was not how many seats each alliance partner received or which party contested a particular constituency, but whether the alliance could emerge victorious.

“I once again repeat: It is not about seats, it is about victory,” Yadav said.

Yadav said an alliance victory would represent more than the success of individual parties and would reflect a collective effort to prevent communalism from gaining ground.

He also said the opposition’s joint campaign was aimed at protecting democracy, the Constitution and reservation, while promoting social harmony, development and prosperity.

The remarks come as the SP and Congress negotiate their respective roles in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, which are scheduled for 2027.

The two parties had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh as allies. The Samajwadi Party won 37 of the state's 80 parliamentary seats, while the Congress secured six.

The BJP won 33 seats in the state, while the National Democratic Alliance won 36 seats in total.

The SP's performance included a victory in the Faizabad parliamentary constituency, which includes Ayodhya.

In the current 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly, the Samajwadi Party has 101 MLAs, while the Congress has two.

Yadav's latest remarks signal an emphasis on maintaining opposition unity as seat-sharing discussions continue ahead of the 2027 state elections.

With PTI inputs