The uncertainty surrounding seat-sharing between Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP), two key partners of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance in Uttar Pradesh, was finally resolved after a meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav on October 16 in Srinagar. Set against the tranquil backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir’s capital, the discussions provided clarity on the alliance’s electoral strategy for the upcoming by-elections in Uttar Pradesh.

As per the agreement reached during the meeting, Congress will contest two seats, while SP will field candidates in the remaining eight. The Election Commission has announced the by-election schedule for nine seats, with the exception of Milkipur, where an ongoing legal petition has delayed the announcement. Voting for the nine seats is set for November 13.

Congress is expected to contest two key seats—Ghaziabad and Khair—both traditionally dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Initially, the Congress sought five seats from the SP, including Ghaziabad, Khair, Meerapur, Majhawan, and Phulpur. However, after discussions between Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi during National Conference leader Omar Abdullah’s swearing-in ceremony, it was decided that Congress would focus on Ghaziabad and Khair.

A senior SP leader privy to the discussions confirmed, “In this meeting, Congress was given the green light to field its candidates on the Ghaziabad and Khair seats.”

Political analyst Manoj Bhadra observed that after the elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana, the Congress experienced a decline in its bargaining power, making it clear that it could not secure the five seats initially requested for the UP by-elections. Strategically, Akhilesh Yadav allocated the Khair and Ghaziabad seats—long-time BJP bastions—to Congress, preserving the SP's electoral stronghold.

"By offering these seats to Congress, the SP not only retains its electoral advantage but also keeps the I.N.D.I.A. alliance intact in Uttar Pradesh," said Bhadra.

Following the seat-sharing agreement, SP moved forward with its campaign by announcing Sumbul Rana as the candidate for the Meerapur seat in Muzaffarnagar. Sumbul is the daughter of BSP coordinator Munqad Ali and the daughter-in-law of former SP MP Qadir Rana, marking her entry into electoral politics.

The SP's announcement of candidates came amid indications that at least two seats would be left for Congress, although the Congress has expressed concerns over the timing of the announcement. “The party will soon declare a candidate for the Kundarki seat as well,” a senior SP leader stated.

SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand reiterated the party's commitment to alliance norms, stating, “The Samajwadi Party is declaring candidates as the bypolls have been announced. The Congress party will also be given seats as per the ongoing talks between the SP and Congress leadership. Our national president has already said that we will abide by our ‘Gathbandhan Dharm’.”

Meanwhile, the Congress awaits official confirmation of the arrangement. All India Congress Committee general secretary (in charge of U.P.) Avinash Pandey emphasized the need for coordination, saying, “We will contest the election in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, and both parties may reach a seat-sharing understanding soon. We hope the SP will give us a respectable number of seats.”

The Samajwadi Party has also announced other candidates, including Tej Pratap Yadav, cousin of Akhilesh Yadav, for the Karhal assembly seat, and Naseem Siddiqui, wife of disqualified SP MLA Irfan Solanki, for the Sisamau seat. Ajeet Prasad, son of Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad, has been named for the Milkipur seat in Ayodhya, while Shobhawati Verma, wife of SP’s Ambedkarnagar MP Lalji Verma, will contest from the Katehri assembly seat. The SP has also fielded Mustafa Siddiqui for Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Jyoti Bind for Majhawan (Mirzapur).

This seat-sharing agreement is particularly significant as the Ghaziabad and Khair seats have long been BJP strongholds, making these by-elections a crucial test for the I.N.D.I.A. alliance. With the results of the Haryana assembly elections imminent, the alliance’s arrangement could greatly influence the political dynamics in Uttar Pradesh and shape the future of their national campaign against the BJP.