Lucknow: A new political alliance is taking shape in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Chandrashekhar Azad's Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) deciding to join hands. The proposed partnership aims to strengthen the political representation of Dalits and Muslims and create an alternative political front in the state.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Azad Samaj Party president and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad are scheduled to address a joint press conference in Lucknow on Thursday, November 12, where they are expected to formally announce the alliance and share details of their electoral strategy.
Owaisi confirmed that the two parties had held several rounds of discussions over the past month and were already working on shortlisting constituencies and deciding which party would contest from particular seats. He also indicated that the alliance could remain open to other political parties and individuals who share their political ideology.
The partnership brings together two leaders with different but potentially complementary support bases. While AIMIM has been seeking to establish a stronger presence among Muslim voters, Chandrashekhar Azad has been working to expand his influence among Dalits, particularly young voters. Muslims account for approximately 19 per cent of Uttar Pradesh's population, while Scheduled Castes constitute around 21 per cent. Together, these communities represent nearly 40 per cent of the state's population.
The proposed alliance could introduce a new political dimension to the contest, which is expected to revolve primarily around the BJP-led NDA and the Samajwadi Party-led opposition formation. It may also influence the electoral calculations of the Bahujan Samaj Party, which has traditionally enjoyed considerable support among Dalit voters.
The development comes after Owaisi's attempts to secure a place in a broader opposition alliance with the Samajwadi Party and Congress failed to produce an agreement. The AIMIM leadership had earlier expressed its willingness to join hands with opposition parties to challenge the BJP in the state.
However, the electoral strength of the proposed partnership remains a major question. In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, AIMIM contested 95 seats but failed to win any, securing around 0.49 per cent of the total votes. The Azad Samaj Party also failed to win an Assembly seat, polling approximately 0.13 per cent of the votes despite contesting more than 100 constituencies.
With 403 Assembly seats at stake, the alliance will need to convert its social support base into actual electoral strength. Seat-sharing arrangements, candidate selection and the possibility of smaller parties joining the front are expected to shape its strategy.
Whether the Owaisi-Azad partnership can emerge as a significant third political force in Uttar Pradesh will become clearer as the 2027 election campaign gathers momentum.
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