The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Azad Samaj Party (ASP) on Thursday announced an alliance for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow on Thursday, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the alliance has chosen ASP chief Chandra Shekhar Azad as its chief ministerial candidate.
The alliance between AIMIM and ASP will be referred to as the Samajik Parivartan Morcha (SPM).
"I am happy to announce our CM candidate as Chandra Shekhar Azad," Owaisi told reporters in Lucknow. The AIMIM and ASP leaders also called for a rally on November 26.
"Today SPM is formed, and it's a strong alliance with political and intellectual honesty," the AIMIM chief added further.
The UP assembly elections are set to be held in 2027. All 403 seats in the legislative assembly will be up for grabs. The AIMIM-ASP alliance has stated it will contest for all seats. In order for any party or alliance to win, it must secure a majority of 202 seats.
Significance of merger
The merger of the two parties marks a major move in UP politics as they work to consolidate Muslim and Dalit votes in the state. Muslims account for around 20% of Uttar Pradesh’s population, while Dalits constitute approximately 21%.
With this, the new alliance seeks to chip away at a section of the Muslim and Dalit vote, potentially disrupting the Opposition's electoral numbers.
{{/usCountry}}With this, the new alliance seeks to chip away at a section of the Muslim and Dalit vote, potentially disrupting the Opposition's electoral numbers.
{{/usCountry}}‘To stop BJP for a third time’
Speaking at the conference, Owaisi added that the alliance with the Bhim Army chief is part of an effort to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from forming a government in the state for the third time.
Alleging that the successive BJP governments had failed to improve the condition of marginalised communities, the ASP chief said promises made in the name of poverty eradication and social justice had not translated into meaningful change.
"They promised to eradicate our poverty and helplessness, and to put an end to the oppression, caste-based violence, and atrocities inflicted upon us. But it turned out to be a deception—those who spoke of uplifting us, of bringing us into the mainstream, went on to become MLAs, MPs, Chief Ministers, and even Prime Ministers. Yet, this marginalised community remains exactly where it has always been. The truth is that governments kept changing, announcements kept being made, and even today, the Bahujan community remains deprived of basic amenities," he told reporters.
Further, Chandrashekhar Azad said the alliance was not merely a 'Third Front' but a political formation aimed at bringing social change and representing marginalised, deprived, oppressed and exploited sections of society.
"This is not a 'Third Front', but a front for social change. It is strong, and it will grow even stronger. As more people from the marginalised, deprived, oppressed, exploited, and downtrodden sections join, this front will become an even more formidable force for those who are oppressed, helpless, and exploited," he said.
SPM extends invite to Samajwadi Party, Congress to join alliance
Despite getting the cold shoulder from the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, which are currently engaged in seat-sharing negotiations, Owaisi and Azad have extended an invitation to the Opposition parties to join the alliance as part of their effort to remove the BJP government.
"I appeal to the SP and the Congress: if you wish to join us in the fight against this government, you are welcome—we will stand by your side," Azad said.
Both parties performed poorly in the 2022 assembly elections. AIMIM contested 95 seats and secured around 0.49% of the votes but failed to win any, while ASP contested more than 100 seats and polled roughly 0.13%.
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party contested 347 seats and won 111 with a vote share of 43.82 per cent, and Congress contested 399 seats and won two with a vote share of 2.33 per cent.