A significant political development has taken place in Uttar Pradesh as Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav announced the termination of the party’s agreement with election strategist firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, he explained the reasons behind the decision.
Akhilesh clarified that there were no political reasons behind the break-up with I-PAC and attributed the move purely to financial constraints. He said the party could not continue the arrangement due to lack of sufficient funds. “Yes, we worked with them for some time, but we do not have the financial capacity at that level, so we cannot continue the agreement,” he said, adding in a sarcastic remark that if media houses provided funding, the party would even consider hiring another strategist firm.
He strongly rejected reports suggesting that the decision was influenced by electoral outcomes in West Bengal or any other political developments, calling such claims baseless. Akhilesh urged the media not to frame such speculative questions and noted that while the market has survey agencies, social media managers, and even negative propaganda firms, the party’s primary challenge remains limited resources.
Sources within the party indicated that Akhilesh had engaged in discussions with I-PAC following recommendations linked to its association with the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The firm had also reportedly made a presentation to SP leadership. However, internal dissatisfaction with the engagement had existed from the beginning, according to party insiders. The development has gained significance in the backdrop of recent political setbacks in West Bengal, with indications that Akhilesh now intends to rely on the party’s own organisational strength for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.
Meanwhile, the political context has also been influenced by recent election outcomes, where parties associated with I-PAC, including the Trinamool Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), reportedly faced setbacks against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In West Bengal, TMC suffered a major defeat in the recent electoral scenario, while DMK was also defeated by Vijay-led Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu, further intensifying discussions around the role of political consultancy firms in electoral strategies.