Congress appoints Imran Masood, sparking tension with Samajwadi Party over UP alliance

In preparation for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the Congress party elevated Imran Masood to a high-profile position, a decision that has unsettled its Samajwadi Party ally. Masood has repeatedly warned that the SP is failing to address grievances of Muslims and Dalits, and he called for a firm, ground-level alliance rather than rhetorical support. Akhilesh Yadav, leader of the Samajwadi Party, responded by insisting that any seat-allocation must be guided by electoral viability, rejecting vague promises.

Former Congress figure Sanjay Jha praised Masood's appointment as a necessary outreach to minority voters, a strategy Congress had long lacked. Adding to the friction, SP MP Dharmendra Yadav asked Congress leaders to raise seat-sharing issues directly with Akhilesh instead of airing them publicly. The two parties together won 43 seats in the 2024 general election, limiting the BJP to 33 in the state.