What began as a potentially high-profile political outreach ahead of the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections ended abruptly on Wednesday, triggering speculation over possible ties between the Congress
and the BSP.
A Congress delegation comprising Tanuj Punia and Rajendra Pal Gautam arrived to meet Mayawati at the BSP office in Lucknow on Wednesday morning. Given the political significance of the timing — with the Assembly polls less than a year away — the proposed meeting immediately fuelled speculation about a possible understanding or alliance between the Congress and the BSP.
Although Mayawati has repeatedly maintained that the BSP would contest the 2027 elections on its own, the party has entered into alliances in the past, including with the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. That history added to the anticipation surrounding Wednesday’s attempted meeting.
However, the Congress leaders were reportedly denied an audience. Sources said the delegation could not even enter the BSP office premises, as no prior appointment had been fixed with Mayawati. A few BSP office-bearers briefly interacted with the Congress leaders at the main gate only to convey that the BSP chief would not be meeting them.
Both Punia and Gautam eventually returned without meeting Mayawati, leading to intense political chatter as well as murmurs within Congress circles over the purpose and handling of the outreach.
Later, Tanuj Punia — son of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary and senior Congress leader PL Punia — downplayed the incident and said the visit was merely a courtesy call.
“We had just gone for a courtesy visit. It was not meant to be a big meeting. There was no political agenda behind the meeting. We just wanted to convey our good wishes and enquire about her well-being,” he said.
Rajendra Pal Gautam also denied any political motive behind the visit. “We may belong to different parties but share the same mission. Mayawati ji and the Congress both work for Dalit upliftment, and therefore we thought of meeting her and exchanging thoughts. I have known her family for a long time and would often visit Mayawati ji’s brothers and parents in the past. So the meeting was intended as a goodwill gesture rather than one driven by political considerations,” he said.
Despite the clarifications, the aborted meeting quickly became a talking point in political circles, especially given the ongoing churn within the opposition space in Uttar Pradesh.
Former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu attempted to dismiss speculation over any larger political significance. “We are part of the INDI alliance along with several regional parties. So I cannot say much about today’s developments. Any decision regarding the BSP or any alliance would ultimately have to be taken by the party high command,” he said.
Other Congress leaders in the state also sought to play down the episode, insisting that too much was being read into what they described as an informal outreach attempt.
