Speculation has been swirling for days over whether the Samajwadi Party and Congress will stay allied ahead of Uttar Pradesh's 2027 assembly elections. Congress recently named Rajendra Pal Gautam as its UP in-charge, and a couple of his comments raised doubts about the health of the alliance. But the words Rahul Gandhi chose to wish Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on his birthday have made it clear that the unity seen in 2024 is set to carry through to 2027. In other words, whatever grumbling comes from Congress leaders unhappy with the Samajwadi Party, it is unlikely to shake the partnership.
What Rajendra Pal Gautam Said That Stirred the Pot
UP Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam has, twice in the last four days, argued that Congress and the Samajwadi Party stand on equal footing in Uttar Pradesh and should therefore get an equal share of seats. He went further, claiming that because Congress is a national party, it is the elder brother in the alliance. Gautam has also floated the idea of bringing the Bahujan Samaj Party, or BSP, into the fold. Even before taking charge as UP Congress chief, he had tried, unsuccessfully, to meet Mayawati along with party MP Tanuj Punia. So while Gautam is pressing the Samajwadi Party for 200 assembly seats, he is simultaneously signalling that a tie-up with BSP remains on the table. Those remarks set off a fresh round of speculation in UP's political circles over whether the SP-Congress alliance would hold.
Rahul Gandhi Steps In to Settle the Confusion
To put the uncertainty around the alliance to rest, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi stepped in personally, choosing Akhilesh Yadav's birthday to do so. He promised Akhilesh that Congress would stand with him in securing social justice through the participation of the PDA, the shorthand for Backward classes, Dalits and Minorities.
Rahul Gandhi has generally used the word social as a baseline in his own campaigning, but his specific use of PDA, a term closely associated with Akhilesh Yadav, in his post on X is being read as an endorsement of the India alliance's theme for the UP elections, and as a sign of his intent to keep seat-sharing talks in the state smooth.
Many congratulations to Akhilesh Yadav ji on his birthday. Together, we will fulfil our commitment to social justice through PDA participation. I wish you good health and a happy, prosperous life.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also sent his wishes to Akhilesh Yadav, writing that all of them would keep moving forward together on social justice, inclusive development, and strengthening democracy and the Constitution. It is worth recalling that Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav were seen sharing considerable warmth at a recent India alliance meeting in Delhi.
Akhilesh's Reply Names Only Rahul Gandhi
Numerous leaders wished Akhilesh Yadav on his birthday through social media and other channels, but in his thank-you message, the Samajwadi Party chief mentioned only Rahul Gandhi by name.
Heartfelt thanks to Rahul Gandhi ji for the birthday wishes. Everyone who stands with us in bringing the rule of social justice is welcome. We must renew our pledge of unity every time. We must unmask those who quietly benefit communal forces. PDA rises above politics, it is a movement for the rights, dignity and prosperity of the 95% of the population that has been exploited, deprived and poor in every society for centuries. The PDA are bound by a shared thread of pain, and for generations have been victimised, hurt and humiliated by the tyranny and dominance of the 5% traditional elite. Love, compassion, belonging is the core foundation of PDA's unity. Anyone with a heart full of compassion and humanity is part of the PDA.
The Pair That Delivered in 2024
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party and Congress alliance, campaigning on the goal of protecting the Constitution, won 43 seats between them, polling 33.84 percent and 9.53 percent of the vote respectively. That is why both parties want to carry this relationship forward into the assembly elections. Sources say Congress is hoping to get 80 to 100 of the 403 seats from the Samajwadi Party.
In 2022, the Two Parties Went Their Separate Ways
In the 2022 assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party and Congress contested separately. The Samajwadi Party's vote share rose from 21.8 percent in 2017 to 32.06 percent, while Congress's vote share fell from 6.25 percent to just 2.33 percent. Notably, the two parties had contested in alliance in 2017, only to be fighting each other five years later. Rahul Gandhi's recent birthday message is being read as a strong signal that Congress is moving back toward its alliance partners.
The Tamil Nadu Precedent and the Reply to Stalin
Before the Tamil Nadu elections, when Rahul Gandhi backed a faction within his party that wanted to leave the DMK and align with Vijay's TVK, he did not use terms like elder brother for DMK chief MK Stalin, and instead offered him only a routine greeting. The results showed the DMK on the back foot after losses to TVK, while Congress went on to join hands with Vijay's party and become part of the government. However, when Stalin actually wished him on his birthday on June 19, Rahul's reply was unambiguous.
Our shared commitment to protecting the idea of India, our Constitution and federalism will continue to guide us, this is a fight for the soul of our democracy.
Seen in the UP context, Rahul Gandhi's birthday message and his deliberate use of PDA are being read as more than a formality, they are being taken as a clear political signal about the alliance, much like his reply to Stalin's greeting hinted at his intent in Tamil Nadu.
