Congress-SP rift in Uttar Pradesh: BJP shares Masood-SP leader spat video
Synopsis
A viral video of Congress MP Imran Masood and SP legislator Ashu Malik trading barbs at a Saharanpur public event has handed BJP a ready-made weapon against the INDIA bloc. With seat-sharing for 2027 still unresolved and ground-level tensions now on camera, the alliance’s biggest threat may not be the BJP—it may be itself.
Key Takeaways
Congress MP Imran Masood and SP legislator Ashu Malik engaged in a public verbal altercation at a joint event in Saharanpur on 19 August .
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari shared the viral video on X , calling it proof that the SP–Congress alliance has ‘turned into a full-blown fight.’ The SP won 37 seats and Congress won 6 seats in Uttar Pradesh during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as alliance partners.
Seat-sharing talks for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are reportedly still unresolved between the two parties.
Congress has been pressing for early seat-sharing discussions, while both parties signal continued interest in the alliance.
Congress MP Imran Masood and Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator Ashu Malik were caught in a sharp public altercation at a meeting in Saharanpur, with the video going viral on X on Wednesday, 19 August. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to amplify the footage, framing it as evidence of deep fault lines within the INDIA bloc alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
What the Video Shows
The clip, shared by BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, shows Masood and Malik trading barbs at what appears to be a joint public event. According to reports, the confrontation began after Masood objected to interruptions and demanded that speakers respect the order of proceedings. The exchange escalated into an open verbal spat in front of the audience.
In one segment of the video, an SP legislator was heard saying, 'Hey you… We haven’t come here to eat pakoras!' to which Masood replied, 'Who’s feeding you pakoras here?' Bhandari described the moment as 'Pakoras vs taunts' and used it to target the Opposition’s credibility in the state.
BJP’s Political Offensive
Sharing the video on X, Bhandari wrote: ‘Rahul Gandhi – Akhilesh Yadav’s party fighting among each other! SP–CONGRESS ALLIANCE TURNS INTO A FULL-BLOWN FIGHT! This is the state of ‘Mahagathbandhan’.’ He added that ‘those who are busy fighting among each other can never win the trust of the people of Uttar Pradesh,’ predicting the state would ‘yet again reject this SP Congress Opposition.’
This comes amid the BJP’s sustained effort to highlight internal contradictions within the INDIA bloc as the 2027 electoral cycle draws nearer. Notably, this is not the first time public disagreements between alliance partners have surfaced in the state.
Alliance Background and What Is at Stake
The SP and Congress had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh as allies, delivering a strong showing: SP won 37 seats and Congress secured 6 seats, giving the alliance a significant foothold in the country’s most politically consequential state.
Building on that momentum, Congress has been pushing for early seat-sharing discussions ahead of 2027. However, differences over seat allocation reportedly remain unresolved. The Saharanpur incident has added fresh pressure on both parties to demonstrate that their partnership can hold at the ground level.
What Happens Next
The SP is seeking to convert its 2024 parliamentary gains into Assembly-level dominance, while Congress is working to expand its organisational presence across Uttar Pradesh. Whether the two parties can iron out seat-sharing terms and project unity—despite episodes like the Saharanpur spat—will be a defining test of the INDIA bloc’s viability in the state’s high-stakes 2027 contest.
Point of View
But the underlying problem for the INDIA bloc runs deeper than one heated exchange. Seat-sharing arithmetic in Uttar Pradesh—where the SP commands far greater ground strength than Congress—has always been a structural tension, not a personality clash. The 2024 Lok Sabha alliance worked precisely because expectations were calibrated; the 2027 Assembly contest, with its 403 seats and far more granular constituency-level bargaining, is a far harder negotiation. If the two parties cannot manage optics at a public meeting in Saharanpur, the harder question is whether they can hold together when constituency lists are on the table.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened between Congress MP Imran Masood and the SP leader in Saharanpur?
Congress MP Imran Masood and SP legislator Ashu Malik were caught in a public verbal altercation at a joint event in Saharanpur, reportedly after Masood objected to interruptions during the meeting. The exchange escalated into an open spat that was captured on video and went viral on X.
Why did the BJP share the video of the Congress-SP fight?
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari shared the video to highlight what the party described as deep internal divisions within the INDIA bloc alliance in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP used the footage to argue that the SP–Congress alliance is fractured and cannot be trusted by voters ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
How did the Congress and SP perform together in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh?
The SP and Congress contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as allies in Uttar Pradesh, with the SP winning 37 seats and Congress securing 6 seats. The alliance delivered a strong performance in the state, which is India’s most politically significant.
What is the status of the Congress-SP alliance ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly elections?
Both parties have signalled interest in continuing their alliance for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, but seat-sharing differences reportedly remain unresolved. Congress has been pushing for early discussions, and the Saharanpur incident has added pressure on both sides to demonstrate unity.
Who is Imran Masood?
Imran Masood is a Congress Member of Parliament associated with the Saharanpur region of Uttar Pradesh. He was one of the Congress legislators elected as part of the SP–Congress alliance during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
