Owaisi offers alliance to Akhilesh for UP polls: 'Don't cry later'

Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday made a public offer of alliance to Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, warning against the consequences of going it alone.

Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow, Owaisi said, "I am extending a hand of friendship to Akhilesh ji. If we join forces, we can defeat the BJP. But if we fight separately, we will regret it later. Don't cry later."

The AIMIM, which has its base in Telangana, has been expanding its footprint in Uttar Pradesh. In the 2017 UP elections, the party contested on a few seats but did not win any. However, in the 2021 local body polls, it won several seats in western UP, indicating a growing support base among Dalit and Muslim voters.

Owaisi's offer comes amid speculation of a possible realignment of opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP won a landslide in 2017. The Samajwadi Party has been in talks with other opposition groups, including the Congress, but no final alliance has been announced.

Akhilesh Yadav has not yet responded publicly to Owaisi's offer. Party sources indicate that the SP leadership is cautious about an alliance with AIMIM, fearing it might alienate its core OBC and Yadav voters. The SP has traditionally focused on social justice and secularism, but has avoided direct association with Owaisi's party, which is seen as representing a more aggressive Muslim identity politics.

Political analysts point out that any alliance between SP and AIMIM could consolidate the Muslim vote but may also polarize the electorate along communal lines, potentially benefiting the BJP. The BJP has consistently targeted Owaisi's speeches as divisive.

The UP assembly elections are scheduled for early 2022. The BJP has already begun its campaign, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath leading the charge. The opposition remains fragmented, with the SP, Congress, and BSP yet to finalize their strategies.