Calls for Akhilesh Yadav to lead I.N.D.I.A. amid Bihar debacle trigger rift in SP–Congress ties

Lucknow: Amid speculations of a possible re-thinking over the continuance of alliance between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress in Uttar Pradesh in the next assembly polls in the state due in 2027, fissures appeared in the alliance after two senior leaders of the rival parties traded barbs over I.N.D.I.A alliance leadership.

Former UP minister and senior SP leader Ravidas Mehrotra and a few others said that SP president Akhilesh Yadav should lead the I.N.D.I.A. alliance in place of Congress.

Congress Lok Sabha member and senior party leader Imran Masood, however, quickly countered the remark saying that Rahul Gandhi was the undisputed leader of the grand opposition alliance.

‘’Let Akhilesh Yadav handle UP first….there is no alternative to Rahul Gandhi in the alliance,’’ Masood said.

He advised the SP leaders and Akhilesh Yadav to focus on the 2027 assembly polls in UP and cautioned them against making any remarks that could impact the alliance between the two parties.

Earlier also there were talks of a re-think over the SP-Congress alliance with some SP leaders stating that the Congress should accept the leadership of the regional satraps in the states. ‘’Akhilesh is the biggest satrap in UP…he must get a major role in the I.N.D.I.A alliance,’’ another SP leader had said.  

The SP leader had said that the Bihar results had proved that Congress’ vote bank had shrunk further. The political observers here feel that Congress’ hole in the Muslims may have weakened as was evident in Bihar.

Congress could win only six seats in the Bihar assembly polls and the party fared dismally even in the Muslim dominated seats.

The state Congress leaders had sought to put up a brave face claiming that the Bihar results would have no bearing on its alliance with SP. ‘’Every state assembly election is different ... .our alliance with SP is intact,’’ said a UP Congress leader here.