📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Batthini Vinay Kumar Goud
Politics
AIMIM Chief Owaisi Opens Door to UP Alliance; Congress Warns It Could Aid BJP
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 21 Sep 2026, 06:31 PM
👁 8
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said his party is willing to explore an alliance in Uttar Pradesh, prompting the Congress to caution that such a move might indirectly benefit the BJP.
Uttar Pradesh political dynamics shifted on Tuesday when Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), indicated that his party is ready to discuss a possible alliance in the state ahead of the next assembly elections. Owaisi, addressing reporters in Lucknow, said AIMIM would consider partnering with any party that shares its development agenda for the Muslim community and broader regional interests.
The Congress party, which has been seeking to consolidate anti‑BJP forces in the state, responded with caution. Senior Congress leaders warned that an AIMIM‑Congress tie‑up could inadvertently strengthen the BJP by fragmenting the opposition vote, especially in constituencies where AIMIM enjoys a strong base.
Political analysts note that Owaisi's overture comes as the BJP consolidates its position in key districts, while regional parties like the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are also courting smaller outfits. The upcoming electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state, is expected to hinge on how these alliance talks unfold.
No formal agreement has been reached yet, and both AIMIM and Congress have said further discussions will be held in private. The Election Commission’s schedule for the state elections remains unchanged, leaving parties to finalize strategies in the weeks ahead.
The Congress party, which has been seeking to consolidate anti‑BJP forces in the state, responded with caution. Senior Congress leaders warned that an AIMIM‑Congress tie‑up could inadvertently strengthen the BJP by fragmenting the opposition vote, especially in constituencies where AIMIM enjoys a strong base.
Political analysts note that Owaisi's overture comes as the BJP consolidates its position in key districts, while regional parties like the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are also courting smaller outfits. The upcoming electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state, is expected to hinge on how these alliance talks unfold.
No formal agreement has been reached yet, and both AIMIM and Congress have said further discussions will be held in private. The Election Commission’s schedule for the state elections remains unchanged, leaving parties to finalize strategies in the weeks ahead.