Muslim-Dalit Third Front Takes Shape In UP, Chandrashekhar CM Face; Invites SP, Congress

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) leader Chandrashekhar Azad have announced a new political alliance, the Samajik Parivartan Morcha, ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Addressing a joint press conference in Lucknow, the two Lok Sabha MPs said the alliance would contest all 403 Assembly seats in the state. The move aims to consolidate Muslim and Dalit votes and challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad has been named the alliance's chief ministerial face. However, the leaders did not disclose the seat-sharing arrangement or the number of seats each party would contest. Azad reiterated the alliance's invitation to the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress to join the new political formation.

The appeal comes after the two principal INDIA bloc parties in Uttar Pradesh showed little interest in Owaisi's earlier offer to be included in their seat-sharing arrangement for the 2027 Assembly elections. Owaisi had sought a decision on his proposed inclusion in the opposition alliance, setting an October 2 deadline for the SP and Congress.

However, neither party accepted the offer, prompting the AIMIM chief to explore an alternative arrangement with Azad. The new alliance is seeking to bring together Muslim and Dalit voters ahead of the crucial state elections.

Its seat-sharing details and the possibility of other parties joining the front remain to be seen. Ayesha Fatima is a Senior Copy Editor at ABP Live English covering politics, national developments and global affairs. She brings clarity, curiosity and a reader-first approach to every piece she writes.

She holds a Master's degree in Convergent Journalism from Jamia Millia Islamia. For any tips and queries, you can reach out to her at ayeshaf@abpnetwork.com.