Congress Seeks 181 Seats in UP Elections: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday indicated that the Congress has sought 181 seats to contest in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections , while asserting that the INDIA bloc would remain united to take on the ruling BJP. Speaking at a Leadership Summit in Delhi, Yadav was asked whether the Congress was seeking 100 seats in the 403-member Assembly. He said the party had demanded more. Asked if the demand was for 200 seats, he replied, "A little less than that." When the interviewer suggested 180 seats, Yadav said, "Add one more," indicating that the Congress had sought 181 seats. "We have made up our mind on how many seats we will contest. The Samajwadi Party and the INDIA alliance will defeat the BJP together," he said. Yadav also indicated that the alleged theft of donations made to the Ram temple in Ayodhya would be a major poll issue. Asked whether he was considering an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said he did not think about other alliances while being part of an existing one. He said the SP had a positive experience of forging alliances and had brought together people who believed in the principles of B R Ambedkar. "The INDIA alliance with the Congress is the same alliance that we had earlier. I do not see any change in it," he said. The BSP is not part of the INDIA bloc.