The Congress has formally initiated seat-sharing discussions with the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, submitting an initial list of constituencies it wants to contest as part of an alliance.

Congress’ Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam said the party had shared a list covering between 175 and 200 seats with Samajwadi Party leaders a few days ago. Detailed discussions on the distribution of constituencies are expected to follow.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has 403 seats. While the Congress is seeking a substantial share in the proposed alliance, the Samajwadi Party has emphasised that candidates’ electoral winnability should determine seat allocation.

A senior SP leader said the party’s position was guided by the principle that winnability should remain the primary criterion. The leader also cautioned against treating initial demands as a basis for a final agreement.

Why the Congress wants a larger share of seats

The Congress believes its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has strengthened its position in Uttar Pradesh. The party won six parliamentary seats in the state while its ally, the Samajwadi Party, secured 37. The BJP won 33 seats.

Congress leaders have argued that the results demonstrated the electoral potential of the alliance and the importance of allowing both parties a meaningful role in the upcoming Assembly contest.

However, the party’s recent Assembly election record presents a different picture. The Congress won only two seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, down from seven in 2017, when it contested in alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

The difference between its performance in the parliamentary and Assembly elections is likely to be an important consideration in the seat-sharing negotiations.

Akhilesh Yadav stresses opposition unity

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has maintained that the Congress, the SP and the INDIA bloc need to work together to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking to reporters in Lucknow on Friday, Yadav said the alliance would move forward effectively towards that objective. His remarks indicated that the two parties remain committed to cooperation even as discussions over the distribution of seats continue.

The challenge for both sides will be to reach an arrangement that accommodates their respective political ambitions while taking the electoral strength of individual candidates and constituencies into account.

Congress leadership changes amid alliance talks

The Congress has also reorganised its Uttar Pradesh leadership ahead of the Assembly elections. Aradhana Misra was appointed as the state unit chief, replacing Ajay Rai.

The leadership change is believed by some Congress leaders to be part of efforts to facilitate a workable arrangement with the Samajwadi Party. Misra is considered to have good relations with the SP leadership.

Congress leaders have expressed hope that negotiations will produce a reasonable seat-sharing agreement and confirmed that the two parties intend to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections together.

The final seat allocation, however, remains undecided. Both parties will need to reconcile the Congress’ demand for a larger share with the SP’s emphasis on winnability before the alliance can settle on a constituency-wise arrangement.

Thousands of people across Manipur’s five valley districts took to the streets on Friday evening, October 23, to stage a sound protest against continued killings, the prolonged ethnic conflict and the government’s failure to restore normalcy.

Residents in several localities of Imphal banged utensils, beat drums, struck electric poles with hammers and honked vehicle horns between 7:30 pm and 8 pm. The demonstration was intended to draw the authorities’ attention to public grievances and demands amid continuing unrest.

The protest reflected growing frustration among residents over the unresolved conflict and the lack of progress towards restoring peace in the state.

Protesters march towards Kangla

During the demonstration, protesters marched towards Kangla, the historic political and cultural centre of the erstwhile Manipur kingdom. The site is located close to Lok Bhavan and the chief minister’s secretariat in Imphal.

Security forces stopped several groups at Palace Compound, Moirangkhom and Keisampat junctions. Hundreds of other protesters reached the entrance to Kangla but were prevented from entering the fort premises.

Police later fired tear gas shells to disperse demonstrators gathered near Lok Bhavan. Barricades were also erected in the area after 8 pm.

Federation of Haomee called for the protest

The demonstration was organised in response to a call by the Federation of Haomee, a civil society organisation that urged residents to make noise between 7:30 pm and 8 pm.

The organisation’s call came amid anger over the continuing ethnic conflict and demands for effective action to restore peace in Manipur.

A protester said the demonstration was intended to make leaders hear the public’s suffering, adding that repeated appeals and demands had not received adequate attention.

Fresh killings add to tensions in Manipur

The protest took place amid renewed tensions following recent killings in the state. On October 18, three Meitei civilians who had reportedly gone to collect firewood near the Khongbal Tangkhul foothills in Imphal East district were killed in an attack, triggering protests and demands for stronger security measures.

The killings were followed by a 48-hour statewide shutdown and demonstrations in which grieving villagers brought the bodies of two victims to the chief minister’s residence.

The latest sound protest adds to the public demonstrations over the continuing violence and the demand for a return to normalcy in Manipur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Odisha on October 25 to inaugurate the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Rs. 169-crore data centre at Info Valley-II in Jatni, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

According to the tentative itinerary shared by the Odisha Chief Secretary’s office, the Prime Minister is expected to arrive at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar at around 4:30 pm aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft. He will then travel by helicopter to the Khurda helipad before proceeding by road to the RBI facility for the inauguration.

The Prime Minister is likely to spend around an hour at the facility before returning to Bhubaneswar and departing from the state at approximately 6:30 pm.

RBI data centre to strengthen financial infrastructure

Spread across 18.55 acres, the new data centre is designed to strengthen the RBI’s data management, disaster recovery, cybersecurity and business continuity capabilities.

The facility will support critical central banking functions, including currency management, payment and settlement systems, and regulatory operations. It is also expected to serve as a backup to the RBI’s existing data centre in Navi Mumbai.

The new facility will be the RBI’s second data centre of this kind, following its existing centre in Navi Mumbai.

Why the data centre is located in Jatni

The site at Info Valley-II was selected for its geographical stability. According to an official, its location away from seismically active zones and high-risk international border areas is intended to reduce exposure to natural disasters and geopolitical vulnerabilities.

The project is intended to help maintain the continuity of essential RBI operations while strengthening the security and resilience of India’s financial infrastructure.

The foundation stone for the facility was laid by then RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on March 22, 2023.

PM Modi’s ninth Odisha visit since 2024

The October 25 programme is expected to be Prime Minister Modi’s ninth visit to Odisha since the BJP government was formed in the state in 2024, according to Odisha BJP vice-president Jatin Mohanty.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Chief Secretary Anu Garg have reviewed preparations for the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit.

The inauguration is part of efforts to strengthen Odisha’s digital infrastructure. The project is also expected to support the state’s ambitions in technology and electronics manufacturing, as stated by the BJP leader.