The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday skipped a lunch meeting hosted by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for INDIA bloc allies at Janpath’s Sagar Ratna restaurant.
The absence comes immediately after a high-voltage Opposition protest march from Parliament toward the Election Commission of India (ECI) office that resulted in brief police detentions.
The meeting, organized to consolidate strategy among Opposition parties, saw multiple attendees inquiring about the non-attendance of SP lawmakers.
Communication Gap and Health Reasons Cited
Addressing the absence, SP leader Udaiveer Singh explained that Akhilesh Yadav had returned to Lucknow on Tuesday evening due to commitments related to Uttar Pradesh regional priorities and Rajya Sabha proceedings.
Meanwhile, a senior SP Member of Parliament, speaking anonymously, attributed the absence primarily to late and inadequate coordination by Congress leadership. The lawmaker noted that only a formal letter was sent to the SP office late on Tuesday evening without direct phone coordination with senior party leaders. Additionally, party sources confirmed that Akhilesh Yadav had been suffering from a high fever since Tuesday evening following his release from police detention.
Frictional Signals Ahead of Upcoming Polls
The absence marks the second time in recent weeks that SP leadership has missed an INDIA bloc gathering, having previously sent representatives to a September meeting. Observers noted that during Tuesday’s protest march toward Akashvani Bhavan, SP lawmakers initially marched as a distinct group at the tail end before being brought into the central demonstration by Congress leaders.
Political commentators and Congress insiders suggest the SP chief may be maintaining tactical distance to reposition the party ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, avoiding over-alignment on the ground while maintaining the national coalition structure.
Congress Downplays Rift Concerns
Congress Communication Chief Jairam Ramesh downplayed speculation regarding any rift, noting that the lunch was organized on short notice late on Tuesday night, making it natural for some regional partners to be unable to attend.
Ramesh reiterated that the INDIA bloc remains fully united on core national issues, including opposition to electoral roll irregularities, SIR implementation, and proposed delimitation exercises.
