Overview
- Public differences surfaced in early October after Uttar Pradesh Congress in‑charge Rajendra Pal Gautam said the party would not accept fewer than 150 Assembly seats in any alliance arrangement.
- Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel publicly rejected that demand, saying even 50 seats would be generous and suggesting Congress’ realistic share is far smaller.
- On October 3, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav directed party leaders to keep seat‑sharing views internal and to forward concerns to central leadership for formal consideration.
- Separately, the SP is intensifying its own campaign planning by identifying about 300 prospective candidates, preparing to contest roughly 300–330 seats, working across as many as 350 constituencies, creating 75 district micro‑manifestos and launching the PDA Rath Yatra.
- Formal seat‑sharing talks are due later this month and will involve national INDIA bloc leadership; the outcome will affect alliance coherence and the battle for Uttar Pradesh’s 403 seats given recent shifts in the 2022 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha results.