Akhilesh Yadav Says INDIA Bloc’s Victory Matters More Than Individual Party Seat Shares

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday stressed that the INDIA bloc’s primary objective should be securing victory rather than focusing on the number of seats won by individual alliance partners. He called for a united effort to defeat communalism and safeguard democracy, the Constitution and reservations.

In a post on X, Yadav said that a clear goal and a shared commitment to the destination could make the journey easier.

“The big thing isn’t how many seats the alliance gets or which seat goes to whom — the big thing is that we all must ensure that the victory belongs to the alliance. Let us repeat again: It’s not about the seats, it’s about the victory,” he said.

Expressing confidence in the alliance, Yadav said its victory would be greater than that of any individual party and would represent a collective effort to protect the country’s democratic values, constitutional safeguards and social harmony.

His remarks come as the Samajwadi Party and the Congress prepare to begin discussions on seat-sharing for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The pre-poll alliance formula between the two parties has yet to be finalised, with seat allocation emerging as a potential point of disagreement.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel on Saturday questioned the Congress’ reported demand for 150 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections. He said the Congress should seek seats in proportion to its electoral strength and organisational presence in the state.

Patel suggested that the Congress should consider contesting 50 seats, citing its past electoral performance. He also warned that fielding candidates from both parties in the same constituencies could lead to losses for the alliance.

Earlier, Yadav had criticised the BJP, saying its “biggest sorrow” was that the INDIA bloc remained united. His remarks came after BJP leaders questioned his absence from the alliance meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday. The Samajwadi Party was represented at the meeting by other party leaders.