A fresh political exchange has started between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly election.
The latest controversy involves Kairana MP Iqra Hasan and Congress leader Asim Waqar. Iqra Hasan recently spoke about the possibility of an SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh and said that the alliance would be good if it continues, but its break could hurt Congress.
Her comments drew a sharp response from Asim Waqar. The Congress leader said that Iqra Hasan became an MP with the support of the SP-Congress alliance and suggested that she is still new to politics.
The exchange has once again brought the future of the SP-Congress relationship in Uttar Pradesh into focus.
What Did Iqra Hasan Say About Congress?
Iqra Hasan was responding to statements coming from Congress leaders about the proposed political arrangement for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
Congress MP Imran Masood has been publicly pushing for clarity on the alliance and seat-sharing. He has argued that Congress has an important role in taking on the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and has also spoken about the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.
Responding to this line of argument, Iqra Hasan said that Akhilesh Yadav is capable of taking on the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and questioned what Congress could achieve if it decided to contest the election on its own.
She also said that if the SP-Congress alliance remains, it would be good, but if it does not continue, the situation could be more damaging for Congress.
These comments have added another layer to the ongoing discussion over seat-sharing and alliance strategy between the two parties.
What Did Congress Leader Asim Waqar Say?
Congress leader Asim Waqar responded directly to Iqra Hasan's remarks.
According to his reported comments, Waqar said that Iqra Hasan was elected with the benefit of the SP-Congress alliance and questioned what her political position would have been without that alliance.
He also described Iqra Hasan as relatively new to politics and said that she may not yet know how political statements should be made.
His response was therefore focused on the political importance of the alliance and Iqra Hasan's own electoral background.
Why Has This Become A Political Issue?
The bigger issue is not only the exchange between two leaders. It is about the future relationship between SP and Congress in Uttar Pradesh.
The two parties worked together during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Under their seat-sharing arrangement, Congress contested 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while SP and its allies contested the remaining 63 seats.
The alliance won 43 of Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2024, with SP winning 37 and Congress winning 6.
Iqra Hasan herself contested the Kairana Lok Sabha seat on an SP ticket in 2024 and won the election. Contemporary election reports put her victory margin at around 69,000 votes.
Because of this past alliance, the question of whether SP and Congress will work together again has become an important part of political discussions ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
Iqra Hasan vs Asim Waqar: What Is The Dispute?
The latest exchange can be understood through the following points:
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The table summarizes the positions reported in the current political exchange; it does not establish which side's political assessment is correct.
What Did Imran Masood Say Before Iqra Hasan's Response?
The latest exchange did not begin with Asim Waqar.
Congress MP Imran Masood, who represents Saharanpur, has also spoken about the SP-Congress alliance and the need to settle the question of seat-sharing.
Masood has argued that Congress has an important role in challenging the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. He has also referred to Rahul Gandhi's leadership while asking SP to clarify its position on the alliance.
Iqra Hasan's comments came in response to this broader political debate.
Why Is Seat Sharing Important For The 2027 Election?
Seat-sharing is often a major part of alliance negotiations because parties have to decide:
- Which constituencies each party will contest
- Which candidates will receive tickets
- How campaign resources will be divided
- How alliance partners will coordinate at the constituency level
- How their wider electoral strategy will be presented to voters
The SP and Congress had already gone through a seat-sharing process for the 2024 Lok Sabha election, when Congress was allocated 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
For the 2027 Assembly election, however, the final arrangement cannot be assumed from the 2024 formula. The current public statements show that discussions and political positioning around the alliance are continuing.
'मुझे प्रताड़ना कई लेयर्स की झेलनी पड़ती है...', Iqra Hasan का छलका दर्द...! #UPPolitics #SamajwadiParty#todaystruth #IqraHasan #SamajwadiParty #SP #UPPolitics #Muslim #Kairana #UttarPradesh #OBC #WomenPolitics #UPNews #IqraChoudhary pic.twitter.com/sas3C4igHf
— Today's Truth (@todaystruthind) September 22, 2026
Iqra Hasan's Recent Political Activity
The latest Congress-SP controversy comes at a time when Iqra Hasan has been active on several political issues in western Uttar Pradesh.
In September 2026, she made statements on the demolition of a mosque at the Saharanpur Collectorate and said that the matter would be pursued through the courts. She also participated in political programmes and spoke about issues including women's participation and education.
Earlier in September, the Allahabad High Court also granted interim relief to Hasan in a case connected with alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign. The court stayed the trial-court proceedings until further orders.
These developments have kept her in the political spotlight in Uttar Pradesh.
Timeline: Iqra Hasan And The Latest SP-Congress Row
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Is The SP-Congress Alliance Final For 2027?
At present, the latest reports do not establish a final 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly seat-sharing agreement between SP and Congress.
The public statements from leaders of both parties show that alliance and seat-sharing remain subjects of political discussion.
Therefore, any claim that the two parties have already finalised their complete 2027 election arrangement should be treated carefully unless officially announced by the parties.
What Does This Mean For Uttar Pradesh Politics?
The latest statements show that both SP and Congress leaders are publicly discussing their respective roles ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
For SP, leaders such as Iqra Hasan are stressing the role of Akhilesh Yadav and the importance of the SP's position in Uttar Pradesh.
For Congress, leaders including Imran Masood and Asim Waqar have highlighted the party's own political role and the importance of its leadership.
The disagreement is therefore not simply about one statement. It reflects a broader discussion about leadership, seat-sharing and the future structure of opposition politics in Uttar Pradesh.
The final political arrangement will depend on further discussions and decisions by the parties.
