UP Polls: AIMIM launches new front, offers 2 CMs, 3 Deputy CMs from backward communities

Lucknow: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi, has launched a new front, Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha, comprising parties with a support base among Muslims, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Dalits for the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

According to Owaisi, if the Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha wins the elections, it will have two Chief Ministers - a Dalit and an OBC leader, besides three deputy Chief Ministers, one of whom will be Muslim.

The Morcha will field candidates on 403 Assembly seats.

The front includes the Jan Adhikari Party led by Babu Singh Kushwaha, the Bharat Mukti Morcha led by Vaman Meshram, Janata Kranti Party led by Anil Singh Chauhan and Bhartiya Vanchit Samaj Party led by Ram Prasad Kashyap.

The candidates of the parties in the Morcha have already filed nomination papers for the 58 Assembly seats for which polling will be held in the first phase in western Uttar Pradesh on February 10.

Babu Singh Kushwaha, a former Minister in the Bahujan Samaj Party government (2007-12), enjoys influence over the OBCs, particularly the Maurya, Kushwaha, Shakya and Saini communities in the Bundelkhand region and central Uttar Pradesh.

Vaman Meshram, an influential Dalit leader, is the president of the All India Backward (SC, ST, OBC) and Minorities Community Employees Federation (BAMCEF).

While Vaman Meshram has been made president of the new front, Babu Singh Kushwaha is its convenor. Talks are on with the Bhim Army, Peace Party and Rashtriya Ulema Council over joining the alliance.

Last year, the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha which was an alliance of the nine smaller political parties, was launched.

It had included AIMIM, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) led by Om Prakash Rajbhar, Jan Adhikar Party, Rashtriya Uday Party of Babu Rampal, Rashtriya Upekshit Samaj Party of Premchanda Prajapati and the Janata Kranti Party.

Later, SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar joined the Samajwadi Party alliance.

Meanwhile, Babu Singh Kushwaha said the followers of Bhimrao Ambedkar, as well as the socialist ideology, have come on a single platform to fight the assembly elections.

"The Morcha will contest the assembly elections on the issue of representation in proportion to population, caste census, free power supply to weaker sections, restoration of old pension scheme for government employees, free education, loan waiver for marginal farmers and employment to the youths," he said.