Congress Withdraws from Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council Elections, Focusing on 2027 Assembly Polls

After a year of preparations for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections , the Congress has decided not to field candidates in 11 Graduate and Teachers’ constituencies going to polls, choosing instead to focus entirely on the 2027 Assembly elections. Newly appointed state Congress president Aradhana Misra told The Indian Express that the decision had been taken before she assumed office. “The party had decided not to contest the MLC elections, keeping the 2027 Assembly elections in mind. Our focus is entirely on the Assembly polls. If those who had been preparing to contest wish to fight as independents, that is their decision. The party, however, has decided not to contest,” Misra said. The elections will take place on October 23. Five Graduates’ constituencies — Lucknow , Varanasi, Agra, Meerut and Allahabad-Jhansi — and six Teachers’ constituencies — Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Bareilly-Moradabad and Gorakhpur-Faizabad — will go to polls. A campaign already in motion The party’s withdrawal comes as the nomination process has concluded. It had undertaken considerable preparations for the Council elections. In October last year, the Congress had indicated probable candidates for several seats, appointed observers and coordinators, and set up a control room. Several aspirants had begun working nearly nine months ago, when the process of preparing voter lists for these constituencies began. In these constituencies, where only registered graduates and teachers can vote, prospective candidates generally begin their campaigns well ahead of polling, helping eligible voters get enrolled and building constituency-level networks. Unlike Assembly or Lok Sabha elections, MLC elections in these constituencies are not fought on party symbols. However, candidates backed by political parties are counted as part of their respective party’s electoral strength. With the Congress staying out, the contest is now largely between the BJP and Samajwadi Party, though a number of independents are also in the fray. Some within the party feel that preparations by the state unit to contest the MLC elections were not adequately coordinated with the central leadership, particularly amid discussions over organisational changes in the UP unit. With little time left before the election process, party sources said, the leadership eventually decided it was better to leave the contest to the SP. The party’s calculation is that avoiding a direct contest with the SP in the Council elections will help maintain the alliance ahead of 2027 and allow it to concentrate its organisational and political resources on the larger electoral battle. Probable candidates stay in the race Several candidates who had been preparing to contest on the Congress ticket have decided to contest as independents. Arvind Singh Patel, who had been preparing to contest from the Varanasi Graduate constituency, filed his nomination on October 5. Speaking to The Indian Express, he said, “I filed my nomination on October 5. Congress leaders from the district and adjoining districts accompanied me. I will not withdraw and will instead contest as an independent. I have put in a lot of effort and money into preparing for this election.” October 6 was the last date for filing nominations, with 51 candidates filing their papers on the final day. The total number of nominations across the 11 Graduate and Teachers’ constituencies rose to 188 from 137 till October 5. Scrutiny of nominations was on October 7, while October 9 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature. The 100-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council currently has 10 SP members, putting the party at the 10 per cent threshold required for the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) post in the Upper House of the state legislature. The BJP-led alliance, meanwhile, has 83 members in the Council — 79 of BJP, and one each from Apna Dal (S), RLD, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, and Nishad Party — giving it a clear majority.