HYDERABAD: As it plans to expand its footprint all over the country, Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM is likely to contest 100 of the total 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Elections are due in UP in February 2022.
AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Owaisi has already joined hands with former minister Om Prakash Rajbhar-led Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha (BSM) comprising nine smaller parties.
However, after suffering a setback in rural local panchayat polls, even the BJP is trying to woo back Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) into the saffron partyled alliance ahead of 2022 polls, sources said.
The SBSP and smaller parties have formed a morcha of nine smaller parties, including the AIMIM, and are trying to rope in other OBC, Dalit and minority leaders-led parties.
Rajbhar was part of the BJP government and served as a minister in the state cabinet but came out of it following differences.
AIMIM UP state president Shaukath Ali told TOI that the party has appointed presidents to all its 75 district units in UP and is working hard to strengthen its base ahead of the assembly polls.
“We are working hard and would like to contest in at least 100 constituencies.
But, a final decision would be taken by our party national president Owaisi,” he said.
The AIMIM had drawn a blank in 2017 assembly polls though it entered the fray in 36 seats.
Owaisi-led party, however, won 24 seats in zilla panchayats in the recently concluded rural local body elections.
Political analysts said the BJP may have suffered losses in the panchayat elections but the party is not down and out.
The AIMIM will divide the Muslim vote which will benefit the BJP, an analyst said.
Unless the morcha of nine smaller parties manage to get the support of either the Samajwadi Party or Bahujan Samaj Party into an alliance, it would be difficult to beat the BJP in UP, a political analyst said.
“They may end up helping the saffron party due to division of Muslim, Yadav and Dalit votes,” he added.