All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi announced that he will decide on possible alliances for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections by October 2.
The Hyderabad MP is currently touring the northern state, where his party aims to expand its footprint by forging alliances. "We will make a decision by October 2," Owaisi told ANI.
Addressing a public gathering in Kanpur on Sunday, Owaisi urged voters to strengthen the AIMIM's presence in the state, emphasising the need for Muslim representation in the assembly.
"We do not want the BJP to form a government in UP for a third term. If you want to stop the BJP, come and join hands with AIMIM," he stated.
Owaisi criticised both the ruling BJP and the main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP), arguing that successive state governments have failed to resolve the socio-economic and educational challenges faced by Muslims.
Taking a direct swipe at SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Owaisi questioned, "When your Akhilesh bhaiya was in power, how many riots occurred?" He cited the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, noting that approximately 50,000 people were displaced. He also raised questions over the Muslim representation during the SP's tenure.
Owaisi targeted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over its actions concerning madrasas. He highlighted the historical role of Muslim clerics and scholars during the freedom struggle, noting that Muslim ulema had even issued fatwas against British rule.
Asserted his political resilience, Owaisi claimed that despite high-profile campaigns against him in Hyderabad, top BJP figures had failed to oust him. "Modi came against me, Amit Shah came, Baba [Yogi Adityanath] came, and the RSS came. But they could not remove me from Hyderabad."
The AIMIM leader also criticised the Congress party following the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) election results, where the ABVP secured three of the four central panel posts.
"Look at the condition of Congress," Owaisi remarked. "With the Delhi University results out, Congress should explain where its 'B-team' went. ABVP won nearly every seat," he said.
