Akhilesh Yadav Supports AAP Over Congress in Delhi Elections, Sparks Tensions in INDIA Bloc

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has publicly backed Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for another term in Delhi, a move likely to deepen cracks within the opposition INDIA bloc. This stance comes amidst rising friction between the SP and Congress, particularly after failed seat-sharing negotiations in Maharashtra and Haryana.

Addressing the Mahila Adalat event organized by AAP in Delhi on Monday, Akhilesh lauded Kejriwal’s governance and expressed his support. “The way the AAP government has worked, we feel they deserve another chance to serve the people,” he said, signaling a shift in SP’s alignment within the opposition alliance.

This open endorsement comes at a sensitive time for the Congress, which is a key ally of SP in Uttar Pradesh. The two parties had successfully collaborated in the recent Lok Sabha elections to challenge the BJP’s dominance. However, tensions between the allies have been simmering, with SP leaders accusing Congress of sidelining regional partners and showing disregard for coalition unity.

A senior SP functionary remarked, “As allies, we fought against the BJP together and faced their attacks. Yet, the Congress seems to ignore that responsibility and continues to disrespect its regional partners.” The SP’s frustration reportedly stems from the Congress’s insistence on dictating terms within the INDIA bloc, particularly its focus on promoting Rahul Gandhi as the face of the alliance, despite Mallikarjun Kharge being its elected chairman.

Discontent has been growing since the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, where SP limited its contest to avoid conflicting signals for voters. However, the party now feels compelled to assert its stance, especially as it looks ahead to future elections. SP leaders also worry that aligning too closely with the Congress could alienate Dalit voters, a critical constituency for the party’s PDA (Pichde-Dalit-Alpsankhyak) narrative in the 2027 UP elections.

By extending support to AAP, Akhilesh Yadav has sent a strong message about SP’s independent approach and its willingness to realign with regional players, potentially reshaping the opposition landscape ahead of the Delhi elections.

News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”