The Congress has found itself in an awkward spot after its MP Imran Masood publicly challenged Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav to declare independence from Congress in Uttar Pradesh. This comes after SP’s decision to partner with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for Delhi Assembly elections.

Masood, representing Saharanpur, expressed confidence in Congress's preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, emphasizing the party's readiness to contest all seats. “Let SP say they’ll go alone in UP. The credit for winning 43 seats in the last elections goes entirely to Rahul Gandhi,” Masood remarked, defending Congress's pivotal role in the state's political landscape.

The Congress-SP alliance in the previous Lok Sabha elections yielded 43 seats for the bloc in Uttar Pradesh, with SP winning 37 and Congress taking six. Masood credited Rahul Gandhi's leadership for the coalition's success, reiterating Congress's aim to play a “big brother” role in the 2027 Assembly polls.

Masood's statement underlines a growing confidence within Congress, which has been strategizing to regain its footing in the politically significant state. His remarks, however, may strain ties with SP, an ally in the INDIA bloc coalition.

Political analysts see Masood's comments as a sign of Congress's ambition to reclaim dominance in UP, where regional heavyweights like SP and BSP have traditionally overshadowed the party.

With Congress preparing to contest all seats in the 2027 Assembly elections, Masood's challenge to SP sets the stage for potential realignments in Uttar Pradesh's political arena. Only time will reveal whether alliances will hold or fracture under electoral ambitions.