Small, caste-based parties work towards forging an alliance ahead of forthcoming UP assembly elections

The contour of a new alliance is emerging in Uttar Pradesh as All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar met Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Yadav on Wednesday evening.

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad later joined the meeting, sending a message loud and clear that small caste-based parties may have a significant impact in the forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Om Prakash Rajbhar did not reveal the details of what transpired during the meeting but told this reporter that all these leaders are in touch with each other. “Just wait, the UP assembly results will give political pundits a great surprise,” he said.

The development comes even as Shivpal Yadav has urged Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav to take a final decision on a pre-poll alliance between the two parties soon. He has given his nephew time till October 11; otherwise, he said, his party will field candidates in all the 403 constituencies.

Rajbhar said that he and Owaisi have urged Shivpal to join the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha (BSM), an alliance of nine smaller political parties. Other parties like Jan Adhikar Party led by Babu Singh Kushwaha, Rashtriya Uday Party president Babu Rampal, Rashtriya Upekshit Samaj Party of Premchanda Prajapati and Janata Kranti Party led by Anil Singh Chauhan are part of BSM.

Sources claim that the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha leaders urged Shivpal to finalise the alliance in order to discuss seat-sharing arrangements for the assembly election.

People familiar with the issue said Shivpal told the leaders that he was waiting for a communication from Akhilesh Yadav and will take a final decision on joining the alliance once the SP chief makes his stand clear.

In the coming election, Shivpal Yadav, who is an MLA from the Jaswantnagar Assembly constituency, from where he has been getting elected since 1996, is likely to be the fulcrum of the unity of these smaller parties. Sources say he could be the CM face of the alliance with Rajbhar as Deputy Chief Minister.

“Another meeting among these leaders is expected next week when the dust will clear further and the shape of the alliance will come up,” the source said.