UP elections 2027: Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi signalled his willingness to ally with the INDIA bloc, particularly the Samajwadi Party, in a bid to take on the ruling BJP.
At a rally in Moradabad, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP said he was willing to forge an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. But the Akhilesh Yadav-led party is expected to weigh the proposal carefully, given that both parties target many of the same voters in the 403-seat Assembly.
However, an alliance with the AIMIM would be a critical call for the Samajwadi Party as it could further consolidate Owaisi’s party in the electorally crucial state. Owaisi reiterated that AIMIM does not want to see the BJP form the government in Uttar Pradesh again. “I have said this before, and I am saying it again: the Majlis does not want the BJP to form the government again in Uttar Pradesh. I am ready to join hands. I am ready to form an alliance. Today is the time to talk. Don’t cry later after the elections are over. We don’t want the BJP to come to power again.
You say that Owaisi contesting would harm us. I’m ready to fight alongside you,” Owaisi said at a rally in Moradabad. Owaisi said the AIMIM’s fight was “never against any religion, nor will it ever be. Our fight is for our honour. Our fight is a fight for justice. Now we don’t want to sit on a mat. Now we want equality.”
“If Akhilesh sits in front of that chair, then Owaisi will sit cross-legged in front of that chair and talk about rights and justice,” he further said.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala’s attacks
According to NDTV, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala criticised the reported outreach between Owaisi and Akhilesh Yadav, saying the two leaders had earlier competed over appeasement politics but were now joining hands. He described Owaisi’s offer of an alliance as a “friend request” to Akhilesh. He added that Owaisi and Yadav the two sides of the same coin.
Elections in Uttar Pradesh
The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled to be held by February-March 2027 to elect all 403 members of the state assembly. The current five-year term of the 18th Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly formally concludes on May 22, 2027.