The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Asaduddin Owaisi, and the Azad Samaj Party (ASP), headed by Nagina MP Chandra Shekhar Azad, are set to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections together, seeking to consolidate Dalit and Muslim voters in the state. The proposed alliance could emerge as a third political front outside the BJP-led NDA and the Samajwadi Party-led Opposition, with political analysts suggesting that it could split the SP's minority vote base and indirectly benefit the BJP.
AIMIM spokesperson Shadab Chauhan confirmed that the two parties had agreed to join hands. Owaisi and Azad are expected to announce the alliance at a joint press conference in Lucknow on Thursday, November 12. The leaders have held several rounds of discussions over the past month, with seat-sharing arrangements and the constituencies to be contested expected to be among the key announcements.
Speaking to the media, Chauhan said the alliance could also accommodate other smaller political parties as the elections approach.
The proposed electoral understanding will primarily focus on Muslim- and Dalit-dominated constituencies in western Uttar Pradesh and the Rohilkhand region. The two communities together account for nearly 40% of the state's population, with Dalits constituting around 21% and Muslims approximately 19%.
"Our primary focus will be on Dalits and Muslims as they are the ones most harassed, regardless of which government is in power. The formal number of seats on which our alliance will contest will be announced at the conference," Chauhan said.
Owaisi's outreach to SP failed to materialise
The alliance comes after Owaisi's efforts to secure a place in a broader Opposition arrangement in Uttar Pradesh failed to produce an agreement. The AIMIM chief had previously expressed interest in joining hands with the Samajwadi Party and Congress as part of the INDIA bloc's electoral strategy.
However, the SP and Congress did not agree to his proposal. AIMIM's Uttar Pradesh president Shaukat Ali said the party eventually approached Azad after its efforts to reach an understanding with the principal Opposition parties, including the SP, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), failed.
Owaisi had reportedly given the SP and Congress an October 2 deadline to decide on his inclusion in their electoral arrangement, but received no positive response.
Chauhan also launched a sharp attack on SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, questioning his commitment to Dalit and Muslim representation.
"Akhilesh Yadav has his own PDA, Pariwar of Dhanwan and Akhilesh. He has nothing to do with Dalits and Muslims, else he won't have sent (Dhanraj Parimal) Nathwani to Rajya Sabha," he alleged.
He also questioned Akhilesh's proposed visit to Ayodhya on December 12, asking whether the SP chief had taken permission from senior party leader Azam Khan, who had been associated with the Babri Masjid Action Committee.
"Is he trying to prove them wrong? Or does he want to justify the demolition of the Babri mosque by VHP and BJP, which was a criminal act?" Chauhan asked.
Responding to the proposed alliance, Akhilesh Yadav said the people of Uttar Pradesh had already made up their minds in favour of the Samajwadi Party in the next Assembly elections.
BJP says parties free to contest elections
Reacting to the development, Uttar Pradesh BJP chief spokesperson Dinesh Pratap Singh said all political parties were free to contest elections from any constituency. However, he accused Owaisi of having no ideology other than dividing people and spreading hatred.
Political analyst SK Dwivedi suggested that the alliance could primarily affect the Samajwadi Party's electoral prospects by dividing its minority vote base.
"This alliance will just cut into the votes of the SP. One can't neglect Owaisi and Azad completely. Apparently, it looks like the AIMIM and ASP alliance will help the BJP to some extent," he said.
Owaisi has been intensifying his political outreach in Muslim-dominated constituencies across Uttar Pradesh, seeking to expand AIMIM's electoral presence. Although the party has limited electoral success in the state, its leader retains influence among sections of the Muslim community.
Chandra Shekhar Azad, meanwhile, has been working to strengthen the ASP's support base among Dalits, particularly younger voters. The Nagina MP has organised several rallies and is preparing a major show of strength in Lucknow to position his party as a credible alternative in Dalit politics at a time when the BSP's influence has weakened.
The alliance therefore brings together two parties seeking to represent communities that have traditionally supported different political formations in Uttar Pradesh. While AIMIM is looking to consolidate Muslim voters, ASP is attempting to build a broader Dalit political base.
How the parties performed in previous elections
The electoral performance of both parties in Uttar Pradesh has so far been limited. In the 2022 Assembly elections, AIMIM contested 95 constituencies but failed to win a single seat, securing approximately 0.49% of the votes. The Azad Samaj Party contested more than 100 seats and polled around 0.13%.
Their performance in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, however, offered a different picture for AIMIM.
The two parties, along with Swami Prasad Maurya's Apni Janata Party, had formed the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), a third political front in Bihar. The alliance initially planned to contest around 64 constituencies, with AIMIM fielding candidates in approximately 35 seats, ASP in 25 and Apni Janata Party in four. The final number of seats contested was lower.
AIMIM eventually contested 28 constituencies and won five, namely Amour, Baisi, Jokihat, Kochadhaman and Bahadurganj, all in the Muslim-majority Seemanchal region. The party secured approximately 1.85% to 1.9% of the total vote share.
The ASP contested 18 constituencies but failed to win any, polling around 0.20% to 0.21% of the votes. Consequently, the GDA's overall electoral gains were limited to the five seats won by AIMIM.
The upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections will therefore be a significant test for both parties as they attempt to translate their respective support bases into electoral gains.
With Dalits accounting for approximately 21% of Uttar Pradesh's population and Muslims making up nearly 19%, the two communities together represent a substantial electoral constituency. However, whether Owaisi and Azad can consolidate these voters under a common political platform remains uncertain.
The alliance could pose a challenge to the SP if it succeeds in attracting a section of Muslim voters who would otherwise support the principal Opposition party. Its impact on the BJP's electoral prospects will depend on the extent of vote division and the ability of the two smaller parties to convert their support into seats.
The formal seat-sharing arrangement, the number of constituencies the alliance will contest and the possibility of other smaller parties joining the front are expected to become clearer following the joint announcement in Lucknow.