A new political front has taken shape in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Chandrashekhar Azad's Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) joining hands to form an alliance.
The two parties have formed an alliance named 'Samajik Parivartan Morcha' and announced plans to contest all 403 Assembly seats in the state, with Chandrashekhar Azad as their chief ministerial face.
Announcing the alliance at a joint press conference in Lucknow on Thursday, Owaisi said the new front would seek to prevent the BJP from returning to power for a third consecutive term.
The AIMIM chief described the alliance as a strong political alternative and said it would focus on issues concerning Dalits, minorities, backward communities and other marginalised sections.
"I can say with confidence that this will be a strong alternative in Uttar Pradesh to stop the BJP from coming to power for the third time," Owaisi said.
He announced Azad as the alliance's chief ministerial face, saying, "I am happy to announce that our brother Chandrashekhar Aazad will be the chief president of the SPM and its chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh."
Owaisi also accused political parties of treating backward and Dalit communities, along with other oppressed sections, merely as vote banks.
He said the morcha would raise issues such as the deteriorating condition of education, unemployment among the state's youth and the problems faced by farmers.
"We will do politics for the future. We hope the people of Uttar Pradesh will join hands with Chandrashekhar Aazad to build a better future," he said, adding that the success of the alliance would mean the success of the people of the state.
Responding to suggestions that the SPM was being positioned as a third political front in Uttar Pradesh, Azad said it was not merely another electoral alternative but a platform for social change.
Owaisi also invited people to attend a public meeting scheduled for November 26, describing it as the beginning of a movement for social change in the state.
WHY THE ALLIANCE MATTERS
The formation of the SPM comes as political parties step up preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections, with the BJP seeking a third consecutive term and the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress combine looking to challenge its dominance.
The alliance brings together two leaders seeking to consolidate support among Dalits and Muslims, two significant electoral constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.
For Owaisi, the tie-up offers an opportunity to expand AIMIM's political footprint beyond its existing minority support base.
For Azad, it could provide a wider platform to strengthen his party's outreach among Dalit voters, particularly the youth.
The move also comes after Owaisi's attempts to become part of the opposition INDIA bloc's electoral arrangement in Uttar Pradesh failed to make headway.
His offer to participate in seat-sharing discussions with the SP and Congress did not receive a favourable response.
Owaisi had earlier set an October 2 deadline for the two parties to respond to his proposal. With no agreement emerging, AIMIM explored an alternative arrangement with Azad's party.
However, the challenge for the new alliance will be to translate its appeal among Dalit and Muslim voters into electoral gains and establish itself as a viable force in a state where political competition has largely revolved around the BJP and the SP.
HOW THE ALLIANCE COULD AFFECT UP POLITICS
The SPM's entry adds another player to an already competitive electoral landscape, with the BJP-led NDA and the SP-Congress combine expected to be the principal contenders.
In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the BJP won 255 seats, while the SP secured 111. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was reduced to just one seat, while the Congress managed to win two.
AIMIM had contested 95 seats in the 2022 elections but failed to win any, securing around 0.49 per cent of the vote. The Azad Samaj Party, too, failed to open its account.
The BSP remains another significant factor in the state's electoral calculations. Party chief Mayawati has indicated that her party will contest the 2027 elections independently, seeking to rebuild its support base among Dalit voters.
Source:-indiatoday
