To prevent BJP 3.0: Chandrashekhar Azad, Owaisi tie up, to contest all UP seats

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, the two leaders said the front would focus on the rights of Dalits, minorities, youth, farmers and other marginalised communities, pitching it as a platform for social change.

Owaisi said the AIMIM-ASP (Kanshiram) alliance aims to stop the BJP from securing a third consecutive term in power in Uttar Pradesh.

"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," he said.

"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 added.

Responding to suggestions that the alliance was being positioned as a third front in Uttar Pradesh's political landscape, Azad said it was not merely a third political alternative but a "front for social change".

The announcement comes as political parties step up preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections, where the BJP is eyeing a third consecutive term and the opposition Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress combine is looking to challenge its dominance.

The alliance seeks to bring together Dalit and Muslim voters, two significant electoral constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

The tie-up comes after Owaisi's efforts to become part of the opposition INDIA bloc's electoral arrangement in Uttar Pradesh failed to make headway. His offer to be included in the 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 political arrangement with Chandrashekhar Azad's party.

For Owaisi, the alliance offers an opportunity to expand AIMIM's political footprint in Uttar Pradesh by building a broader coalition beyond its existing minority support base. For Azad, it provides a platform to strengthen his party's outreach among Dalit voters, particularly the youth.

However, bringing the two communities together politically and translating that combination into electoral gains will be a key challenge for the alliance.HOW THE ALLIANCE COULD AFFECT UP POLITICS

The new front adds another player to a contest largely centred around the BJP-led NDA and the opposition alliance led by the SP and Congress.

In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the BJP won 255 seats, while the Samajwadi Party secured 111. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won just one seat, while the Congress managed two.

AIMIM had contested 95 seats in the 2022 elections but failed to win any, securing around 0.49 per cent of the votes. The Azad Samaj Party also failed to open its account.

The BSP remains another important 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.- Ends