UP Congress chief Aradhana Mishra: High command decides SP alliance, BJP out by 2027
Synopsis
New UP Congress president Aradhana Mishra has drawn a clear line: seat-sharing with the SP in Uttar Pradesh's 2027 elections is the national high command's call, not a state-level matter. With the INDIA bloc's biggest electoral test looming and a fresh row over alleged voter list deletions under SIR adding pressure, the clock is ticking on a credible opposition coalition in the country's most consequential state.
Key Takeaways
Newly appointed UP Congress president Aradhana Mishra said all INDIA bloc alliance decisions, including seat-sharing with SP , will be taken by the national high command .
Congress and SP face an ongoing seat-sharing deadlock in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections .
Mishra declared the party's goal as ousting the BJP government in 2027 and forming an alliance government in the state.
She drew a historical parallel between Rahul Gandhi's Satyagraha portal and Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha movement against British rule.
Mishra demanded an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging mass deletion of voter names from lists.
She cited a CWC resolution and alleged that two Election Commission members had raised serious charges against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar .
Newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress president Aradhana Mishra on 4 October 2026 declared that decisions on seat-sharing with the Samajwadi Party (SP) rest entirely with the party's national leadership, as uncertainty over the INDIA bloc alliance arrangement in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections continues to simmer.
High Command Has Final Word
Mishra was unequivocal in deferring to central leadership on the question of the Congress-SP seat-sharing deadlock. 'The INDI Alliance does not form alliances at the state level; it is formed at the national level. The national leaders of all the parties that are part of the alliance came together on one platform to form this alliance. Whatever decisions are taken, whether for the states or at the Centre, regarding the alliance will be decided by the national leadership,' she said.
Her remarks effectively signal that state-level negotiations between Congress and SP functionaries carry no binding weight — a posture that could ease tensions in the short term but may delay concrete seat-distribution talks as the election cycle draws closer.
Congress Committed to INDIA Bloc, Eyes 2027
Mishra stressed that Congress remains a committed partner within the broader opposition coalition. 'Congress stands with everyone. We have upheld the principles of alliance politics, and we will continue to do so. Our goal today is to remove the corrupt and unsuccessful Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 2027 and form an alliance government,' she said.
Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha and has 403 Assembly seats, is regarded as the single most consequential state in Indian electoral politics. The INDIA bloc's ability to forge a functional seat-sharing arrangement here could significantly alter the arithmetic against the ruling BJP.
Rahul Gandhi's Satyagraha Movement
Mishra also drew a pointed historical parallel to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Satyagraha portal, likening it to Mahatma Gandhi's civil disobedience campaigns against British rule. 'Satyagraha was started by Mahatma Gandhi against the British. It was a movement that united the country. Today, another Gandhi has started this movement, and the circumstances are the same,' she said, adding that Rahul Gandhi's earlier positions — once dismissed by many — are now gaining wider public acceptance.
SIR Row and Voter List Deletions
The newly appointed UP Congress chief separately escalated her party's attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She alleged that the exercise has resulted in large-scale deletion of voter names, compromising the integrity of the electoral process.
'A resolution to this effect was passed by our highest body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), and we demand that the process be stopped immediately. In the name of SIR, a large number of names have been deleted from the voter lists, affecting the election process,' Mishra said. She further noted that two members of the three-member Election Commission had reportedly raised serious allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, adding institutional weight to the controversy.
What to Watch
With the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on the horizon, how quickly the INDIA bloc's national leadership translates Mishra's assurances into a workable seat-sharing formula will be the critical test. Any prolonged deadlock risks ceding early organisational ground to the BJP, which has held power in the state since 2017.
Point of View
If substantiated, could galvanise opposition mobilisation far beyond Congress's own base. The real question is whether Delhi's leadership acts on Mishra's assurances fast enough to prevent the BJP from locking in organisational advantages it has been building in UP since 2017.
NationPress
4 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did new UP Congress president Aradhana Mishra say about the SP alliance?
Aradhana Mishra said that decisions on the INDIA bloc's seat-sharing arrangement with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh will be taken exclusively by the national high command, not at the state level. She emphasised that the alliance was formed nationally and all key calls — including those affecting individual states — rest with national leadership.
Why is the Congress-SP seat-sharing arrangement in UP important?
Uttar Pradesh has 403 Assembly seats and is the most electorally significant state in India. A functional Congress-SP alliance under the INDIA bloc could meaningfully challenge the BJP, which has held power in the state since 2017. Without a clear seat-sharing deal, the opposition risks splitting votes and handing the BJP a structural advantage.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) controversy that Mishra raised?
Mishra alleged that the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has led to large-scale deletion of voter names, compromising the election process. The Congress Working Committee has passed a resolution demanding an immediate halt to the exercise. She also cited reports that two of three Election Commission members had made serious allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
What did Aradhana Mishra say about Rahul Gandhi's Satyagraha portal?
Mishra compared Rahul Gandhi's Satyagraha movement to Mahatma Gandhi's civil disobedience campaigns against British rule, arguing that the circumstances — a perceived threat to democracy and the Constitution — are similar. She said Rahul Gandhi's earlier positions, once dismissed by many, are now gaining wider public understanding and acceptance.
When are the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections?
The next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are scheduled for 2027. Both Congress and the Samajwadi Party are part of the INDIA bloc and are expected to coordinate their campaign strategy against the ruling BJP in those polls.
