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Rae Bareli: Pressure is mounting within the Congress to finalize a seat-sharing agreement with the Samajwadi Party before the end of September as preparations for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections gain momentum. The demand emerged during Rahul Gandhi's two-day visit to Rae Bareli, where party leaders warned that further delay could create confusion among workers and weaken election coordination.

Rahul Gandhi, who visited his Lok Sabha constituency on September 8 and 9, focused mainly on reviewing development projects, interacting with party workers and assessing the organisation's ground position. However, discussions over a possible Congress-SP alliance remained one of the biggest political talking points during his visit.

Congress Leaders Push For Early Seat-Sharing Deal With SP

Several senior Congress leaders from Uttar Pradesh urged Rahul Gandhi to speed up negotiations with the Samajwadi Party and complete the seat-sharing arrangement by September end.

Party officials told the Congress leadership that uncertainty over the alliance formula could affect preparations at the grassroots level. They believe that booth-level workers of both parties need sufficient time to coordinate strategies, mobilize voters and avoid confusion before the election campaign begins.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are expected after the completion of the Census process, which has increased political activity among major parties in the state.

Rahul Gandhi Reviews Congress Organization In Rae Bareli Region

During his two-day Rae Bareli visit, Rahul Gandhi held meetings with Congress leaders, district-level functionaries and party workers from Rae Bareli, Amethi and Sultanpur. The Congress leader reviewed the party's organizational strength and took feedback about public issues, government schemes and local political challenges.

During the visit, development projects worth around Rs 3 crore under the MPLADS scheme were also launched in the constituency. Rahul Gandhi expressed dissatisfaction over complaints that several welfare schemes of the state government were not reaching beneficiaries effectively at the ground level.

Congress Wants Equal Partnership In UP Alliance

The alliance discussion gained further momentum after senior Congress leaders indicated that the party wants to contest the upcoming Assembly election as an equal partner of the Samajwadi Party.

Rajendra Pal Gautam, the AICC in-charge for Uttar Pradesh, supported the idea of ​​an early alliance and stressed the need for clarity before election preparations intensify.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Rai also indicated that the party is preparing for different possibilities. He said that if an alliance arrangement with the Samajwadi Party does not materialise, the Congress may consider contesting all Assembly seats independently.

SP-Congress Seat Sharing Talks Enter Delicate Phase

Political observers believe that the Congress and Samajwadi Party are currently engaged in a strategic negotiation battle over seat distribution. While the Congress is seeking a larger share of seats based on its political revival plans and recent electoral performance, the Samajwadi Party is assessing its own organizational strength and vote base before finalizing any formula.

The delay has created a situation where both parties appear to be balancing alliance benefits with individual electoral ambitions. The Congress wants maximum representation in the alliance, while the SP is likely to focus on protecting its dominance in key regions and constituencies.

Akhilesh Yadav Highlights Vote Share Over Seat Formula

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has maintained that the alliance with Congress remains intact but has also indicated that seat-sharing decisions will depend on political realities.

Akhilesh has repeatedly emphasized that electoral strength is not only about the number of seats contested but also about the vote base each party brings to the alliance.

The SP chief has focused on the PDA (Pichda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak) strategy to consolidate support among backward classes, Dalits and minority communities.

He has highlighted the importance of caste equations in Uttar Pradesh politics, where social combinations often play a decisive role in election outcomes.

Bigger Political Battle Ahead In Uttar Pradesh

The Congress-SP alliance will be closely watched as Uttar Pradesh remains the country's most politically significant state. A successful seat-sharing arrangement could help both parties consolidate anti-BJP votes and create a stronger opposition front. However, delays or disagreements over seat distribution could impact campaign planning and worker coordination.

For Congress, the alliance is seen as an opportunity to strengthen its position in a state where the party has struggled electorally for years. For the Samajwadi Party, maintaining control over its core social coalition while accommodating Congress demands will be a major challenge.

Congress leaders are pushing for clarity before September ends, while the Samajwadi Party is likely to evaluate seat demands and electoral calculations before making a final commitment.

The next round of discussions between the two parties could determine whether the opposition enters the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election with a united strategy or faces a more complicated electoral battle.