Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has once again taken charge of the party’s political preparations in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Her return comes after a series of meetings in Delhi with senior UP Congress leaders. She held discussions with state in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, state president Aradhana Mishra, working president Imran Masood and all six co-in-charges. The party is also preparing to form four committees for its Mission 2027 campaign. Priyanka had earlier served as the Congress general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh from September 2020 to December 2023.


Why Congress Needs Priyanka

Priyanka’s return is significant because the Congress has been out of power in Uttar Pradesh for more than three decades and is trying to rebuild its political base. During her earlier tenure, the party worked on strengthening its organisation from the district and block levels to booth committees. The impact of these efforts was visible in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the Congress won six seats and secured a vote share of around 9.46%. The party won seats such as Rae Bareli, Amethi, Allahabad, Barabanki, Sitapur and Saharanpur. Priyanka had also played an important role in resolving differences with the Samajwadi Party during the 2024 seat-sharing talks by directly speaking to Akhilesh Yadav.


Akhilesh’s Stand on Seat Sharing

The Samajwadi Party and Congress are expected to continue their alliance for the 2027 Assembly elections, but the distribution of seats has become a major point of disagreement. Akhilesh Yadav has reportedly told party workers to prepare for contests on around 350 seats, signalling that the SP sees itself as the dominant political force in the state. SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav has indicated a formula based on the parties’ performance in the 2022 Assembly elections. Under this approach, Congress could get seats where it won or finished second in the previous election, potentially leaving it with only six seats.


Congress Demands Bigger Share

Congress leaders are seeking a much larger share in the alliance. State leaders have indicated that the party could present a list of 175 to 200 constituencies and demand at least 125 seats. They are basing their claim on the party’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when it contested 17 seats and won six. Congress also points to its lead in 38 Assembly segments during those elections. The party has further cited the 2017 Assembly elections, when the Samajwadi Party had given it 114 seats. These competing calculations have made negotiations increasingly complicated.


Priyanka to Handle Final Talks

Priyanka is expected to play a central role in resolving the seat-sharing dispute with the SP leadership. Congress leaders believe her direct communication with Akhilesh could help prevent negotiations from breaking down. Instead of focusing only on the total number of seats, she may push for constituencies where Congress candidates have a realistic chance of winning. The party has reportedly divided its preferred constituencies into three categories: A for strong seats, B for potential seats and C for weaker seats. This approach could help Congress seek a more practical arrangement rather than getting stuck in a dispute over numbers.


Bigger Role in Mission 2027

Priyanka’s return could also give fresh energy to the Congress organisation in Uttar Pradesh. During her earlier tenure, she intervened in issues such as the Hathras case, Lakhimpur Kheri violence and Sonbhadra violence, presenting the party as an active voice on public issues. She also worked to promote young leaders and increase women's participation in politics. With the 2027 elections approaching, her role is likely to extend beyond seat-sharing talks to campaign planning, candidate selection and key political decisions. The next challenge will be to reach an agreement with Akhilesh Yadav that gives Congress a share it considers respectable while keeping the alliance intact.