UP Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam said the party seeks 'equal share and equal respect' in seat-sharing with the Samajwadi Party for the 2027 Assembly polls. He clarified he had spoken about contesting 200 seats and wants a deal soon.

Congress Demands 'Equal Share', Eyes 200 Seats

Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam on Sunday said the party was seeking an equal share and equal respect in seat-sharing with the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the 2027 Assembly elections, adding that he had spoken about contesting 200 seats in the state.

Speaking to ANI, Gautam said, "Who asked for 150 seats? I had actually spoken about 200. I have maintained from the very beginning that there must be equal respect and an equal share. After all, the Congress party is the country's oldest and largest party.’ He added that the Congress could win only if it contested elections and secured seats. "We can only win if we get seats. We can only win if we contest the election. Does anyone ever win without fighting elections?" he said.

Party Gears Up Organisation Across All 403 Seats

Gautam said the Congress had already begun preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and was strengthening its organisation across all 403 constituencies in the state. "One has to contest the election to win a seat. Does anyone win without contesting? The Congress is already moving ahead with preparations; the party is gearing up its entire organisation across all 403 seats. Most likely, the organisational structure, including district and city units, will be finalised by Thursday. I aim to have the state-level body announced either on the same day or within a couple of days thereafter. Work on the organisation at the grassroots level is nearly complete; we have established a presence in every single village," he told ANI.

Call for Early Seat-Sharing Deal

Gautam further said the Congress wanted the seat-sharing arrangement to be finalised in October itself so that candidates would have sufficient time to prepare for the elections. "Today, I want to make it clear that the Congress Party is the oldest and largest party in the country. Regarding seat sharing, I have been saying from the beginning that we should settle the matter of seat sharing in October itself so that those contesting the elections get time to work," he said.

He said all parties in the INDIA bloc had a responsibility to work together, adding that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party were the two main parties in Uttar Pradesh. "All the parties with whom we have an alliance in the INDIA bloc are responsible. In Uttar Pradesh, the two main parties are Congress and the Samajwadi Party. Both are responsible; they also respect each other. We have to move forward together. The share and respect should be equal. I have been saying this from the beginning," Gautam said.

'Flexible as the Constitution'

On the Congress' approach to seat sharing, he said the party was willing to remain flexible. "When it comes to seat sharing, we are as flexible as the Constitution of India. If we have to bend a little, we will bend," he said.

Gautam Credits Rahul Gandhi for SP's Lok Sabha Gains

On the Samajwadi Party winning 37 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Gautam questioned whether the party had achieved a similar tally when it was in power in the state. "In the times when Mulayam Singh Yadav held a full-fledged government, did they ever secure 37 seats then? Even when the Samajwadi Party had a full-fledged government, or when it contested in alliance with (BSP), they only won five seats," he said.

Gautam attributed the SP's performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's campaign for social justice and his advocacy of the Constitution. "The seats were won because of Rahul Gandhi, the way he emerged as a champion of social justice and the manner in which he championed the cause while holding the Constitution in his hands," he added. (ANI)

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