Congress has an alliance with Samajwadi Party for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, but the talks on seat distribution are still stuck. Therefore, Congress is working rapidly on formulating a new alliance strategy for the state. The party is considering an electoral partnership with Dalit leaders Chandrashekhar Azad and Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM. Speaking to *Aaj Tak*, Congress Lok Sabha MP Imran Masood described Asaduddin Owaisi as a brother and Chandrashekhar Azad as a friend and well-wisher. Masood stressed that no single party can single-handedly defeat the BJP in UP; He said that if anyone has any misunderstanding then clear it, because it is impossible to defeat BJP without coming along with Rahul Gandhi. In this way, Masood is leading the efforts to write a new story of alliance in UP.
Congress MP Imran Masood said that the party is planning a coalition strategy for Uttar Pradesh and many smaller parties may be included in it. Describing Chandrashekhar Azad and Asaduddin Owaisi as his brothers, Masood said that there are still many arrows left in the quiver of Congress. He assured that the party wants to decide its own strategy regarding alliance in the state.
On one hand, Congress is discussing contesting elections on 170 “A-Grade” seats, while on the other hand it is also praising Chandrashekhar and Owaisi. This shows that Congress does not want to break relations with Akhilesh Yadav, but also does not want to remain only a junior partner in the alliance. In this context, Masood’s efforts to bring Chandrashekhar and Owaisi together have important political significance.
**Called Owaisi and Chandrashekhar as ‘brothers’**
Speaking to *Aaj Tak*, Imran Masood described BJP as communal, but refused to use the term for Owaisi – a departure from Congress’s general stance that Owaisi is the BJP’s “B-team”. Masood described Asaduddin Owaisi as his elder brother, although he also said that the final decision on the alliance will be taken by the party leadership. Asaduddin Owaisi has started preparations for the 2027 elections in Uttar Pradesh. Starting his campaign from Matera, the Muslim-dominated seat of Bahraich, Owaisi declared state president Shaukat Ali as his candidate for the seat. Amidst the increasing activities of Owaisi, Imran Masood’s soft stance is being considered politically important.
Imran Masood described Azad Samaj Party leader Chandrashekhar Azad as a friend and well-wisher. He said Chandrashekhar had helped him in the 2024 elections and wished him success, adding that he would do whatever he can to help him. Although he did not give any clear answer on Chandrashekhar’s alliance with the party, he did hint at its possibility.
Is this a move to put pressure on SP?
SP has an alliance with Congress in UP, which Akhilesh Yadav has indicated many times; However, talks on seat-sharing between the two parties are still stalled. In this context, Imran Masood’s hint of joining hands with Owaisi and Chandrashekhar could be a ploy to put pressure on SP. However, the political base of SP and Congress in UP is largely similar. Both parties depend on the core Muslim vote bank, which often leads to tumultuous relations.
Imran Masood had left Congress and joined SP before the 2022 elections, but Akhilesh Yadav did not make him a candidate. Later, he returned to Congress after working with BSP. Chandrashekhar Azad is also from Saharanpur, which is Imran Masood’s district. Chandrashekhar had also tried hard to form an alliance with SP in 2022, but things did not work out. Referring to himself and Chandrashekhar, Imran Masood said both had faced huge humiliations in 2022 – hinting that Akhilesh Yadav was responsible for it. SP is not ready to form an alliance with Owaisi and Chandrashekhar in UP; Has Congress made any political move to put pressure on Akhilesh Yadav by showing its readiness to join hands with both? It remains to be seen what strategy Congress adopts for alliance in UP.