Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 12 (ANI): AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday said the newly formed 'Samajik Parivartan Morcha', an alliance between the AIMIM and Azad Samaj Party-Kanshiram, would emerge as a strong political alternative in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, naming Chandrashekhar Azad as its Chief Ministerial candidate.
Owaisi said the alliance would focus on addressing issues concerning education, unemployment, healthcare and farmers, alleging that successive political formations had failed to stop the BJP in the state.
"The AIMIM and the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) have come together. Under this front, we have declared Mr Chandrashekhar Azad as our Chief Ministerial candidate. Our goal is to address the issues plaguing Uttar Pradesh, including the destruction of the education system, the uncertain future of the youth and the fact that unemployment has become their fate. There are also concerns regarding hospitals and schools, as well as the shortage of urea for farmers. The public is facing many such challenges," Owaisi told reporters.
Targeting other parties, Owaisi said, “We believe that other political parties are incapable of stopping the BJP. The people of Uttar Pradesh have witnessed this in 2014, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2024. Therefore, our alliance is emerging as a strong alternative. We are fully confident and will work hard to achieve our political objectives.”
Owaisi also invited other political parties, including those associated with the INDIA bloc, to join the front, saying the alliance was committed to addressing injustices in Uttar Pradesh.
"Our Chief Ministerial candidate, Chandrashekhar Azad, has stated that any party, whether part of the INDIA alliance or otherwise, is welcome to join us so that we can put an end to the injustices taking place in Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Hussain Dalwai criticised the alliance, alleging that it could indirectly benefit the BJP by dividing Opposition votes.
"This gives rise to the suspicion that they intend to act as the BJP's team and help the party. The INDIA bloc is already an alliance, and instead of joining it, they are forming a separate alliance and contesting elections independently," Dalwai said.
He said the BJP government must be defeated and alleged that its politics was directed against Muslims and Dalits.
"This government, in the name of Hindutva, is against Muslims and Dalits, and it must be defeated. People will not believe whatever these leaders say. They call the entire literature of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar poison. They support casteism," he said.
Dalwai further said that political formations pursuing an independent electoral strategy that indirectly benefits the BJP were taking the wrong approach.
"If these parties are pursuing politics that indirectly helps the BJP, I believe it is completely wrong," he added.
The alliance was announced on Thursday by Owaisi and Azad Samaj Party-Kanshiram president and MP Chandrashekhar Azad at a joint press conference in Lucknow.
Naming the formation 'Samajik Parivartan Morcha', Owaisi had said the front would work towards social change and represent marginalised communities, while asserting that it would prevent the BJP from returning to power in Uttar Pradesh for a third time.
Chandrashekhar Azad had clarified that the formation was not merely a 'Third Front' but a political platform for social change representing marginalised, deprived, oppressed and exploited sections of society.
He also announced that the alliance would contest all 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh together, adding that there were no differences between the partners over seat-sharing.
The alliance has invited the Samajwadi Party and Congress to join its fight against the state government ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The proposed partnership seeks to bring Dalit and Muslim communities onto a common political platform and build an alternative political formation in the state.
Muslims constitute approximately 19 per cent of Uttar Pradesh's population, while Scheduled Castes account for around 21 per cent, making them significant sections of the state's electorate. (ANI)
“Other parties can’t stop BJP”: Owaisi pitches AIMIM-ASP(K) alliance as “strong alternative"; Cong calls it “BJP’s team”
