The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) on Thursday announced an alliance for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, naming Nagina MP and ASP chief Chandra Shekhar Azad as their chief ministerial candidate.
The alliance, called the Samajik Parivartan Morcha (SPM), was announced by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Azad at a joint press conference in Lucknow.
“I am happy to announce our CM candidate as Chandra Shekhar Azad,” Owaisi told reporters, describing the new political formation as a strong alliance built on political and intellectual honesty.
“Today SPM is formed, and it's a strong alliance with political and intellectual honesty,” he added.
The two parties have said they intend to contest all 403 seats in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. A political alliance or party needs to win at least 202 seats to secure a majority in the House.
The leaders also called for a public rally on November 26, which they described as the beginning of a wider movement for social change.
Alliance seeks to represent Dalit and Muslim communities
The partnership brings together AIMIM's focus on Muslim representation and the Azad Samaj Party's political outreach among Dalit communities. Muslims account for around 20% of Uttar Pradesh's population, while Dalits make up approximately 21%.
The two parties have said the alliance will work for the rights and political representation of marginalised, deprived and oppressed communities. Its agenda is also expected to include concerns relating to young people, farmers, education and unemployment.
Owaisi said the alliance was being formed with the aim of preventing the BJP from returning to power in Uttar Pradesh for a third consecutive term. He alleged that successive BJP governments had failed to improve the condition of marginalised communities.
Azad, meanwhile, criticised successive governments for making promises on poverty eradication and social justice without bringing meaningful changes to the lives of disadvantaged sections.
“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,” he said.
“The truth is that governments kept changing, announcements kept being made, and even today, the Bahujan community remains deprived of basic amenities,” Azad added.
He also sought to distinguish the SPM from what is commonly described as a third political front, saying it was intended to be a platform for broader social transformation.
“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 invites Samajwadi Party, Congress to join
Despite the Samajwadi Party and Congress pursuing their own political arrangements ahead of the 2027 elections, Owaisi and Azad have invited the two parties to join the new alliance.
Azad said the SPM was open to parties willing to work together against 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,” he said.
The alliance announcement follows several rounds of discussions between AIMIM and the ASP over more than a month. Owaisi had earlier said that the two parties were shortlisting constituencies and discussing which party would contest from where. He also indicated that the alliance would remain open to other parties and individuals who shared their political ideology.
AIMIM's Uttar Pradesh chief Shaukat Ali said the party had approached Azad after its efforts to reach an understanding with major Opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party, did not yield an agreement.
Owaisi had previously expressed his willingness to work with the Samajwadi Party and publicly sought an alliance with its chief, Akhilesh Yadav. The SP, however, had described those overtures as public posturing, maintaining that electoral arrangements could not be negotiated and finalised through public statements.
How the parties performed in the 2022 UP elections
Both AIMIM and the Azad Samaj Party had limited electoral success in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
AIMIM contested 95 constituencies and secured around 0.49% of the votes but failed to win a single seat. The Azad Samaj Party contested more than 100 constituencies and received approximately 0.13% of the vote.
In comparison, the Samajwadi Party contested 347 seats, won 111 and secured a vote share of 43.82%. The Congress contested 399 seats, won two and recorded a vote share of 2.33%.
The 2027 election will be held across all 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. The formation of the SPM adds another alliance to the political contest, with its leaders seeking to build support among Dalit, Muslim and other marginalised communities.