Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has said that several MLAs from the BJP led ruling alliance in Uttar Pradesh are in contact with his party ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections. Yadav made the remarks during a press conference at the Samajwadi Party office in Lucknow, while responding to questions about possible political changes and the SP's preparations for the elections.
According to Yadav, a number of legislators are in contact with the Samajwadi Party. However, he said the party faces a challenge in accommodating all those who may be interested in joining or seeking political arrangements with the SP. He also indicated that the party would avoid making commitments that it may not be able to fulfil.
The remarks come ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, which are expected to be an important political contest involving the BJP, SP, Congress and other parties. The claims regarding BJP or BJP alliance MLAs being in contact with the SP have been made by Akhilesh Yadav and have not been independently confirmed for individual legislators.
Yadav also spoke about the SP's alliance strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls. He indicated that the party intends to retain largely the same alliance arrangement that existed during recent elections. He said the alliance would be announced soon when asked about the timing of a formal announcement.
The alliance question is particularly significant because the Samajwadi Party and Congress have been discussing arrangements for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Both parties were part of the INDIA bloc during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh and have continued discussions about cooperation in the state.
Seat sharing is expected to be one of the important issues in negotiations between the two parties. Earlier reports have indicated that both the SP and Congress have been examining potential constituencies and discussing how seats could be distributed between the alliance partners. The discussions have also involved concerns among local leaders about the number of seats available to their respective parties.
The SP leadership has indicated that the party's approach to seat allocation will take into account the electoral strength of individual candidates and constituencies. The Times of India reported that Yadav had said winnability would be a basis for deciding which party contests particular seats.
The latest comments about BJP alliance MLAs also come at a time when political parties in Uttar Pradesh are preparing for the Rajya Sabha elections. The state is scheduled to vote for 11 Rajya Sabha seats, including 10 from Uttar Pradesh, with sitting MLAs forming the electoral college for the Upper House election. The political claims about legislators switching sides therefore have significance beyond the upcoming Assembly election preparations.
There have also been claims from the BJP side about legislators from opposition parties being in contact with the ruling alliance. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has claimed that 25 SP MLAs are in contact with the BJP. These competing claims have emerged as both sides prepare for upcoming political contests. The claims should be understood as statements by political leaders unless supported by formal announcements or confirmed changes in party affiliation.
Congress is also working to strengthen its position in Uttar Pradesh. Reports have indicated that the Congress and SP leadership are considering further discussions on seat sharing and alliance arrangements. The Congress has been seeking a broader opposition understanding, while the SP has been working on its own organisational and electoral preparations across the state.
For the SP, maintaining existing alliances while managing possible entrants from other parties presents an organisational challenge. Yadav's remarks suggest that the party is considering contacts from legislators while also weighing how they could be accommodated without creating commitments that may later become difficult to honour.
The BJP, meanwhile, remains a major political force in Uttar Pradesh and is preparing for the next Assembly election. The ruling party and its allies will also be watching developments involving legislators and potential political realignments in the state.
At present, Akhilesh Yadav's statement establishes that he has publicly claimed that several BJP led alliance MLAs are in contact with the SP. It does not, by itself, establish that those legislators have decided to leave the BJP or formally join the Samajwadi Party. Any such changes would require confirmation from the individual legislators or their respective political parties.
The coming months are therefore expected to see continued discussions over alliances, seat sharing, candidate selection and possible political realignments ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The SP and Congress are continuing discussions, while competing parties are also assessing their organisational strength and electoral strategies across the state.
