With an eye on the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday night launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party and its chief Akhilesh Yadav, accusing the party of practising “Yadav-vaad” instead of socialism, while pitching AIMIM as a political alternative for Muslims and Dalits.
Addressing a public meeting in Bijnor, Owaisi targeted the SP’s local leadership, the BJP government and Akhilesh Yadav’s famous PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) plank, devoting a significant part of his speech to arguing that the SP has failed both Muslims and Dalits.
Targeting Tasleem Ahmed, three-time SP MLA from Najibabad, Owaisi alleged that the party survives by invoking the fear of the BJP rather than delivering development, in turn referring to the entire Samajwadi leadership as “weak”.
“Tasleem Ahmed believes that by showing people the fear of the BJP, he can secure their votes. There has been no development in Najimabad. The entire Samajwadi Party leadership is weak,” Owaisi claimed. Appealing directly to the voters, he urged them to go with the AIMIM to defeat the ruling BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Launching a direct attack on Akhilesh, the AIMIM chief accused him of using what he claimed was “politics of fear” to consolidate the Muslim votes. He said, “Akhilesh says if you do not vote for me, there will never be another election.”
Referring to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, Owaisi claimed that Muslims suffered during the SP government. “Akhilesh Yadav forgets that when he was the Chief Minister, 50,000 Muslims were displaced during the Muzaffarnagar violence. It was because of those mistakes that the BJP came to power.”
Questioning the SP’s PDA slogan, Owaisi referred to reports concerning Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and accused Akhilesh of selectively supporting leaders based on caste identity.
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“BJP ka mukhyamantri Mohan Yadav ho to Akhilesh unke saath khade ho jaate hain. Kya sirf isliye ki woh Yadav hain?” (When the BJP’s Chief Minister Mohan Yadav visits, Akhilesh stands by him. Is it only because he is a Yadav?)
Contrasting this with issues affecting Muslims, he said, “In Sambhal, a mosque was demolished and notices are being issued, but Akhilesh does not seem bothered.” He alleged, “Yeh Samajwad nahi hai, yeh sirf Yadav-vaad ki siyasat hai.” (This is not socialism; it is merely politics centred around the Yadav community.)
On a possible Opposition alliance ahead of the Assembly elections, Owaisi said AIMIM was open to joining hands with other parties, but only if treated with “respect and dignity”.
“If there is an alliance based on respect and dignity, AIMIM is certainly ready to work with it to ensure the BJP does not return to power in Uttar Pradesh.” He, however, asserted that AIMIM would no longer accept a subordinate role.
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Owaisi targets BJP over Ram Temple row
Without naming Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Owaisi repeatedly referred to him as “Baba” while questioning the BJP government’s development claims. He alleged that an integrated ethanol factory inaugurated by the government has remained shut since 2024. He also took a swipe at the government’s law-and-order claims.
Referring to the ongoing controversy over alleged irregularities in donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Owaisi alleged that those responsible were being protected.
“If a Muslim had been made a member and a scam had later surfaced, his house would have been demolished with a bulldozer and the case declared closed. Champat (Rai) is enjoying himself.” Questioning the investigation, he said, “What is happening? Even those who have been arrested are not being taken into police custody.”
Asking muslims not to bow and instead make leaders fight for their rights, Owaisi said, “The message of Karbala is that just as Imam Hussain did not bow before Yazid, we too will not bow down and will fight for our rights.”
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Accusing the BJP government of selectively targeting Muslims, Owaisi referred to notices issued to mosques and alleged unequal treatment by law-enforcement agencies.
“A mosque has existed for 200 years, but after a police station came up, it received a demolition notice…On what basis was the mosque in Sambhal demolished,” he questioned.
He also referred to the arrest of 14 Muslim youths during Ramzan in Varanasi over Iftar in a boat on Ganga, alleging discrimination in the criminal justice system when a similar incident came to limelight recently involving people from another community.
“The Muslim boys remained in jail for two months… while those who were not Muslims got bail within 24 hours,” he alleged.
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Rejecting allegations that AIMIM divides Opposition votes, Owaisi said: “People will say I have come to divide votes. Which votes am I dividing? The BJP has been winning election after election… I speak about Muslims and Dalits because they are the communities that face the greatest injustice.”