The violence in Sambhal, which resulted in five deaths following a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Masjid last month, has ignited tensions within the INDIA bloc, particularly between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress in Uttar Pradesh. Both parties are now vying for dominance in defending the interests of the minority community, a key issue for the upcoming elections.
The SP has accused Congress of downplaying the Sambhal issue in Parliament, claiming that the party focused on the Adani controversy instead of addressing the lives lost and the violence that unfolded. SP leaders assert that their MPs and MLAs were obstructed from raising the matter, while Congress concentrated on corporate scandals.
A senior SP leader, speaking anonymously, voiced strong discontent with Congress’s handling of the issue: “How many times will they bring up Adani? The tragic deaths in Sambhal deserved urgent attention. Congress failed to stand up for opposition MPs and allowed Rahul Gandhi to remain aloof rather than take charge,” the leader said.
Additionally, the SP claimed that Congress deliberately kept their leader, Akhilesh Yadav, at a distance in Parliament to prevent coordinated action. Traditionally, seating arrangements in the Lok Sabha are determined by the Speaker with consideration for the Leader of Opposition.
Congress leaders, however, have rejected these accusations, asserting that the party has consistently raised the Sambhal issue across all platforms. Former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai defended his party’s actions, saying, “We have strongly raised the Sambhal issue, both on the streets and in Parliament. These accusations are unfounded.”
Rai also pointed to Congress’s electoral strategy, emphasizing that the party contested mixed-population constituencies in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, while the SP held onto minority-dominated seats. “SP has always retained minority-heavy seats, while Congress has contested in regions like Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Kanpur, proving our commitment to broader representation,” Rai added.
The controversy surrounding Sambhal underscores deeper rifts within the INDIA bloc, particularly over leadership. Journalist Ratan Mani Lal highlighted the alliance’s internal struggles: “Congress sees itself as the backbone of the alliance, owing to its national stature, while regional players like SP are strengthening their position in their own territories.”
On the Sambhal issue, the SP has aligned with the stance of its founder, Mulayam Singh Yadav, advocating strongly for the minority community. In contrast, Congress has been accused of focusing more on national issues like the Adani scandal.
The dispute over Sambhal could signal complications in the INDIA bloc’s seat-sharing negotiations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. The SP has accused Congress of exploiting minority-dominated areas to bolster its bargaining power. “Congress blackmails in the name of Muslims and Dalits,” an SP leader alleged. “They demand half of the seats in bypolls, but are they truly equal partners? They didn’t even raise the issue of Sambhal. If Rahul Gandhi had taken a stand, it would have attracted more attention.”
In response, Rai rejected these claims, pointing out that Congress has consistently fielded candidates in constituencies with diverse demographics. “In the last elections, we contested 17 seats, none of which were minority-dominated. This accusation is baseless,” Rai said.
Regarding the growing fault lines within the INDIA bloc, Rai clarified that Congress only responded after SP leaders, including Ram Gopal Yadav, made public statements. “It was SP leaders like Ram Gopal Yadav who spoke first, prompting some Congress leaders to address the issue,” he explained.
In a recent press meet in Saifai, SP General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav remarked that the SP still wants the INDIA bloc to contest elections together. However, when asked whether SP recognizes Rahul Gandhi as the leader of the alliance, Yadav replied, “For now, Mallikarjun Kharge is the leader of the INDIA bloc.”
The ongoing tensions over Sambhal are likely to affect the cohesion of the INDIA bloc as the 2027 elections draw nearer.
