Last Updated on November 12, 2026 6:16 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Our Correspondent /Lucknow
In a significant political development ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi and Chandrashekhar Azad’s Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) on Thursday formally announced a pre-poll alliance, unveiling a new political platform named the Samajik Parivartan Morcha (SPM).
The announcement was made jointly by Owaisi and Azad at a press conference here, bringing an end to days of speculation over the emergence of a third political front in the state. Political observers view the alliance as an attempt to consolidate support among Dalits, Muslims, backward classes and other socially marginalized groups while positioning itself as an alternative to both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the traditional opposition.
Declaring the alliance’s intent, Owaisi said the newly formed front would work to prevent the BJP from securing a third consecutive term in Uttar Pradesh. He also announced that Chandrashekhar Azad would be projected as the chief ministerial face of the coalition.
“Our brother Chandrashekhar Azad will be the chief ministerial candidate of the Samajik Parivartan Morcha. We will work collectively not only to strengthen this alliance but also to ensure that its success translates into benefits for the people of Uttar Pradesh,” Owaisi said.
Expressing confidence in the alliance’s prospects, the AIMIM chief described the Morcha as a strong political alternative capable of reshaping the electoral landscape in India’s most populous state. He argued that communities represented by both leaders, along with other backward and oppressed sections, had historically been treated merely as vote banks rather than genuine stakeholders in governance.
According to Owaisi, the SPM would focus on issues affecting Dalits, backward classes, minorities and other marginalized communities. He said the alliance would raise concerns relating to unemployment, education, farmers’ distress and social justice while seeking broader political representation for underprivileged sections of society.
As part of its political mobilisation campaign, Owaisi announced a large public rally scheduled for the 26th of this month, describing it as the beginning of a larger movement for social transformation in Uttar Pradesh.
Azad Counters ‘B Team’ Allegations
During the joint media interaction, Chandrashekhar Azad strongly rejected allegations frequently levelled by political opponents that his party functions as the BJP’s “B team.”
Questioning the charge, Azad cited examples from different states where opposition parties had contested elections independently or against one another despite being part of broader anti-BJP coalitions.
“If fighting elections independently makes a party the BJP’s B team, then why did the Samajwadi Party contest seats in Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu separately?” he asked.
Azad also questioned the Congress and Trinamool Congress for contesting against each other in West Bengal and pointed to instances where the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) fought separately despite being partners in the INDIA bloc during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Referring to local body elections in Uttar Pradesh, he noted that the Samajwadi Party had previously entered into an alliance with his party, arguing that the current criticism of ASP’s political intentions was therefore contradictory.
The ASP chief asserted that his party was contesting elections to represent communities whose concerns, he claimed, often remained ignored by mainstream political formations. He alleged that established parties routinely stayed silent when members of marginalized groups became victims of violence or injustice.
Owaisi Targets EC Over Voter Roll Deletions
The AIMIM president also raised questions regarding claims related to the revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh. Referring to statements attributing the deletion of 1.27 crore names from voter lists, Owaisi demanded that the Election Commission publicly disclose detailed data explaining the removals.
He sought clarification on how many deleted voters were identified as deceased, shifted, duplicate entries or non-citizens. Citing figures available on the Election Commission’s website, Owaisi claimed that a much larger number of names had been removed under various categories and called for greater transparency in the process.
Owaisi reiterated his long-standing criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, arguing that such measures could potentially be misused to disenfranchise genuine voters. He said AIMIM had challenged alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls through legal channels and had approached the courts over concerns arising during voter list revisions.
The launch of the Samajik Parivartan Morcha marks the formal beginning of what both leaders describe as a social justice-driven political project aimed at altering Uttar Pradesh’s electoral equations ahead of the crucial 2027 Assembly contest.