'Many visitors appear during poll season': Akhilesh dismisses Owaisi-Azad front in UP

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday ruled out any change in his party's existing alliance arrangements, saying it would continue to work with its current partners even as AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Azad Samaj Party leader Chandra Shekhar Azad joined hands to form a new front ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Calling the SP's alliance with INDIA bloc partners a "permanent alliance", Akhilesh also took a swipe at the newly formed Samajik Parivartan Morcha, suggesting that its leaders should establish a sustained political presence in Uttar Pradesh rather than make appearances during election season. "The election date will be announced before January 10. We are moving forward in collaboration with our previous alliance partners," Akhilesh said at a press conference. "In fact, I would suggest that they establish a permanent presence here; it would foster better coordination and facilitate ongoing dialogue," he added.

Akhilesh said SP and its INDIA bloc partners were already working at the booth level to take on the BJP. "We, the samajwadis, will unite to take on the BJP, work to remove it from power, and ensure it is removed once and for all. The Samajwadi Party and the INDIA bloc are consistently working at the booth level, putting in dedicated effort. In politics, many visitors appear during election season. Some of these individuals ought to stay and work here. They should witness the injustice, atrocities, and persecution inflicted by the BJP government," he said.

His remarks came a day after Owaisi and Azad announced the Samajik Parivartan Morcha, an alliance they said would provide an independent political platform to deprived, oppressed and marginalised communities. The two leaders also invited the SP, Congress and other parties to join hands to prevent the BJP from returning to power for a third consecutive term. Speaking to PTI Videos on Thursday, Azad said the alliance's fight was against the ruling party and not the opposition.

"I do not wish to fight against the opposition. The battle is against the ruling party. We have resolved to uproot the BJP. This alliance will drive the final nail into the BJP's coffin," he said. Azad also rejected allegations that his party was acting as the BJP's "B team" and questioned opposition parties over their decision to contest against one another in different states. He cited remarks by the Congress national president, who reportedly described the Aam Aadmi Party as the BJP's "B team" at a rally in Punjab.