Akhilesh Yadav launches PDA Yatra from Raebareli amid SP-Congress rift
Synopsis
Akhilesh Yadav chose Rahul Gandhi's own Lok Sabha constituency to launch the SP's PDA Yatra — a move that speaks louder than any press statement about the deepening rift within the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh. With SP appointing in-charges in Amethi and Raebareli and party MPs openly trading barbs over who can beat the BJP, the alliance's unity ahead of the 2027 UP polls looks increasingly nominal.
Key Takeaways
Akhilesh Yadav launched the PDA Yatra from Raebareli on 24 September 2026 , ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly elections .
Raebareli is the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi , making the launch venue a pointed political signal.
SP had earlier appointed Indrajeet Saroj and Anand Bhadauria as in-charges of Raebareli and Amethi — both traditional Congress strongholds.
SP MP Iqra Hasan and Congress MP Imran Masood have publicly clashed over whether Akhilesh Yadav or Rahul Gandhi is the primary opposition force in UP.
Despite formal assurances of alliance continuity, there is no consensus on hierarchy or seat-sharing for the 2027 state polls within the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav launched the 'PDA Yatra' on Thursday, 24 September 2026, from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh, firing the starting gun on his party's campaign ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The launch from Raebareli — historically a Congress stronghold and currently the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi — has drawn sharp attention in political circles and signals a deepening strain within the opposition INDIA bloc.
The Yatra and Its Symbolism
Yadav travelled in a specially curated saffron Rath — a converted bus — as the yatra got under way. The choice of Raebareli as the launch venue is widely seen as a pointed political statement. The constituency's identity is closely tied to the Gandhi family and the Indian National Congress (Congress), making SP's decision to begin its state-wide outreach campaign here particularly significant given the two parties' alliance under the INDIA bloc.
Background: SP's Moves in Congress Territory
The symbolism of the Raebareli launch is not isolated. Earlier, the SP chief had appointed senior party functionaries Indrajeet Saroj and Anand Bhadauria as in-charges of the Amethi and Raebareli parliamentary constituencies respectively — both long-held Congress bastions. Those appointments were made even as the INDIA bloc alliance was formally in place and both parties had agreed to contest elections as partners.
The Rift Within the INDIA Bloc
Despite top-level assurances from both parties that the alliance remains intact, visible cracks have emerged on the ground in Uttar Pradesh. The latest flashpoint involves SP MP Iqra Hasan and Congress MP Imran Masood. Hasan reportedly asserted that only Akhilesh Yadav is capable of defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh, suggesting that Congress could achieve little on its own. Masood is said to have countered that Rahul Gandhi is the only opposition leader with the national reach needed to unsettle the BJP.
This comes amid broader differences between the two allies over political messaging, leadership primacy, and each party's relative standing within the opposition space. Notably, there is still no consensus on hierarchy or 'ownership' of the anti-BJP space in the state — a critical unresolved question ahead of a high-stakes assembly contest.
What to Watch
With the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approaching, the PDA Yatra will serve as a barometer of SP's independent mobilisation capacity. Analysts will closely track whether the INDIA bloc formalises a seat-sharing arrangement for the state polls or whether the two parties effectively campaign as rivals in the same constituencies. The coming weeks could force both leaderships to either resolve the internal hierarchy question or acknowledge a de facto split in Uttar Pradesh.
Point of View
Combined with installing party in-charges in both Amethi and Raebareli, suggests Akhilesh Yadav is building infrastructure for a solo run in 2027, regardless of what bloc statements say. The Hasan-Masood spat is a symptom, not the disease: the real unresolved question is whether SP and Congress can agree on who leads the opposition in India's most electorally decisive state. Until that hierarchy is settled, the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh is an alliance in name and a competition in practice.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PDA Yatra launched by Akhilesh Yadav?
The PDA Yatra is a state-wide political outreach campaign launched by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on 24 September 2026, beginning in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh. It is aimed at building momentum for the SP ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Why did Akhilesh Yadav launch the yatra from Raebareli?
Raebareli is the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, making it a traditionally strong Congress bastion. The choice of launch venue is widely interpreted as a signal of SP's intent to assert its primacy in Congress-dominated territory, even as the two parties remain formal INDIA bloc allies.
What is the current state of the SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh?
The Samajwadi Party and Congress are allies within the national opposition INDIA bloc, but their relationship in Uttar Pradesh has shown visible strain. Differences over political messaging, leadership hierarchy, and the relative standing of both parties have surfaced publicly, including through remarks exchanged by SP MP Iqra Hasan and Congress MP Imran Masood.
Who are Iqra Hasan and Imran Masood, and why are they in the news?
Iqra Hasan is an SP Member of Parliament, and Imran Masood is a Congress MP. The two have reportedly clashed over who — Akhilesh Yadav or Rahul Gandhi — is the more credible opposition force capable of defeating the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, reflecting the broader tensions within the INDIA bloc alliance in the state.
What happens next for the SP-Congress alliance ahead of the 2027 UP polls?
The critical unresolved issue is a formal seat-sharing agreement for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. With SP expanding its organisational footprint in Congress strongholds like Amethi and Raebareli, and both sides claiming leadership primacy, the coming months will determine whether the alliance holds or the two parties effectively contest as rivals in the same seats.
