New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday confirmed that his party will contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections as part of the opposition INDIA bloc, emphasising that the alliance remains intact. Responding to statements by Congress MP Imran Masood, Yadav said, “Those who wish to leave the INDIA alliance are free to go.”
Both SP and Congress are part of opposition INDIA bloc which was formed before the 2024 general elections to take on BJP. The bloc performed strongly in Uttar Pradesh during the polls, winning 43 out of 80 seats.
Speaking to reporters at the SP headquarters in Lucknow, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister dismissed any rift within the alliance. “I have nothing to do with the statement given by anyone. Our INDIA alliance is intact,” he said.
Imran Masood’s Congress not a beggar jibe
Masood has said that the Congress is “not a beggar” and would not plead for seats in an alliance. This sparked speculation of friction between the two parties.
The SP president also said his party is fully prepared for the upcoming panchayat elections in 2026. “We will soon hold a meeting regarding panchayat elections. The BJP, it is heard, has hired big consultants and is even considering increasing the number of panchayats to dilute opposition votes,” he alleged.
Reiterating his support for a caste census, Yadav said, “If a Samajwadi government comes to power, we will conduct a caste census within three months. We have the technology and resources to do it efficiently.”
Yadav attacks Yogi-led UP govt
Taking a swipe at the ruling BJP, Yadav accused chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s government of attempting to dismantle primary education and privatise land belonging to intermediate schools.
“The government could not even build a Sainik School independently and is now turning to PPP models to favour its people,” he said. Yadav further alleged that the BJP is conspiring to shut down primary schools so that poor children are deprived of education.
