Full Breakdown
Congress appoints Imran Masood as Uttar Pradesh working president, raising friction with the Samajwadi Party
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Development: Leadership reshuffle and alliance pressure
The Congress party has installed Saharanpur MP Imran Masood as working president of its Uttar Pradesh unit while naming Aradhana Misra (“Mona Misra”) as state president. The move, announced months before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections slated for 2027, has been interpreted by the Samajwadi Party (SP) as a pressure tactic to accelerate seat-sharing negotiations. SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told *The Indian Express* that Masood’s appointment would not affect ongoing talks, but several SP leaders have voiced unease about his influence on the alliance’s Muslim-vote strategy.
Background & Context
The reshuffle follows a broader Congress re-organisation aimed at revitalising its presence in western Uttar Pradesh. Masood, a 56-year-old first-time MP, has shifted affiliations several times: elected as an Independent MLA in 2007, joined Congress in 2012, moved to the SP for the 2022 polls, briefly entered the BSP in 2023, and returned to Congress later that year after being expelled from the BSP. His appointment comes as the Congress seeks to consolidate the Muslim vote bank while the SP negotiates its share of the 403 Assembly seats.
Data & Statistics
- Seat-sharing demand: Congress is pushing to contest 150 of the 403 seats. The SP has indicated it will not concede more than 80, while Congress says it will not settle for fewer than 100.
- Electoral timeline: Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are due in early 2027.
- Masood’s record: First elected MLA (2007), contested Nakur Assembly seat in 2012, lost the 2024 Lok Sabha race in Saharanpur to BJP candidate Raghav Lakhan Pal.
Official Statements & Responses
- Aradhana Misra (Congress UP president): highlighted the BJP’s setback in the state and expressed confidence that the INDIA alliance would win the 2027 elections.
- Pramod Tiwari (Deputy Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Rajya Sabha): maintains a long-standing rapport with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, viewed as a stabilising factor in the alliance talks.
Criticism & Opposition
- An SP insider called the appointment a “pressure tactic,” noting that Masood’s remarks often create uneasiness and that senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would need to grant him authority in seat-sharing discussions.
- Another SP figure said Masood’s past departure from the SP after the 2022 polls and his return to Congress have irritated SP leaders, potentially complicating negotiations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Finalise the alliance if you have to have an alliance. If it (the alliance) is not to be done, we (Congress) are going ahead with our preparations. Akhilesh ji should finish this work (alliance finalisation) immediately. If you have to lead, the responsibility is on you. Dil bhi aapko bada karna padega (You will have to have a large heart),” — Imran Masood
- “Who they appoint as president is their internal matter, but those holding responsible positions should speak responsibly. I welcome the first statement Mona Misra made after her appointment - that the INDIA alliance will win.” — SP MP Rajiv Rai
What’s Next
Masood has urged that the alliance be finalised by October to give the coalition a realistic chance against the BJP. He warned that without Congress’s participation, the SP’s effort to defeat the BJP would be “meaningless.” The SP has not confirmed a specific deadline, but discussions over the 150 seats sought by Congress continue.