The Samajwadi Party has decided to end its association with political consultancy firm I-PAC ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, marking a significant shift in its poll strategy as it prepares for a crucial electoral contest against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The decision comes amid a mix of legal scrutiny involving the firm, recent electoral setbacks for its clients, and internal reassessment within the party’s campaign planning structure.

According to reports, I-PAC, founded by political strategist Prashant Kishor and associates, was earlier engaged by the Samajwadi Party to focus on select constituencies where the party had narrowly lost in the 2022 elections. However, the collaboration is now being discontinued, even as the party continues its engagement with another campaign management firm, Showtime, under a separate agreement finalised a few months ago.

The development follows the arrest of Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of I-PAC, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to alleged coal scam investigations in West Bengal. Chandel was arrested in April following searches at his Delhi residence. The agency has alleged financial irregularities involving alleged hawala transactions and unaccounted cash flows routed through consultancy-linked entities. He was later granted bail.

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The controversy surrounding the firm has raised broader questions about its recent electoral performance and operational credibility. I-PAC had worked with major regional parties, including the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the DMK in Tamil Nadu, both of which faced electoral reversals in recent contests. In those elections, senior leaders of both parties also suffered symbolic setbacks, further intensifying scrutiny of campaign strategies and ground-level execution.

Reports also suggest that in the final phase of those campaigns, the consultancy had reduced on-ground operations and scaled back teams in certain regions, reportedly amid increasing regulatory pressure and internal restructuring. Similar downsizing was also noticed in Uttar Pradesh, which reportedly influenced the Samajwadi Party’s reassessment of its campaign partnerships.

The decision comes at a politically sensitive moment for Akhilesh Yadav, as the 2027 Uttar Pradesh election is widely seen as a decisive test of the Samajwadi Party’s strength against the BJP. With opposition dynamics shifting across states and multiple regional leaders facing electoral challenges, the party’s move signals a recalibration of its strategy as it prepares for one of India’s most closely watched state elections.

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