LUCKNOW: Buoyed by his party’s performance in Bihar where AIMIM won five seats, the party president Asaduddin Owaisi’s ambitions have now got wings and he wants to get a substantial presence in this time in the Assembly of the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh to fulfill his Mission 2022.
In this connection, Owaisi met Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, a former BJP ally, in Lucknow on Wednesday.
"Our performance in Bihar given us a lot of confidence. We have to continue that momentum,” Owaisi said while interacting with the media persons in Lucknow.
Rajbhar said, "It has been decided after my meeting with Owaisi that SBSP and AIMIM would contest the 2022 UP Assembly elections together.”
"Why some political sections, which used to consider me a lone soldier capable of doing no harm, were now feeling the heat,” he asked. “Till yesterday, people used to say that OP Rajbhar is all alone, and what can he do? Now, why are they feeling the pain? Now, Owaisiji has come, we will show our power to the heavyweights," asserted Rajbhar.
Referring to the Bhaagidaari Sankalp Morcha, a front of smaller parties formed in the state last year, Rajbhar said: "The Morcha will contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections together. We are ready to show our might as many more political outfits are ready to join us. Just wait and watch what we can do," said Rajbhar.
In UP, besides SBSP, the Bhaagidaari Sankalp Morcha comprises of former BSP leader Babu Singh Kushwaha's Jan Adhikar Party, Babu Ram Pal-led Rashtra Uday Party, Anil Singh Chauhan-led Janta Kranti Party, and Premchand Prajapati-led Rashtriya Upekshit Samaj Party.
In Bihar, the Morcha had three Bihar centric parties besides, AIMIM, BSP, and SBSP.
When asked if it is necessary for smaller parties to come together to take on the BJP, Rajbhar, said: “We are fighting for education, health, and jobs.” Asked about AIMIM called a vote-splitter, Rajbhar said: "We want that to happen. Let Owaisiji split the votes of his community, Rajbhar split those of his, and Krishna Patel (of Apna Dal) of her community. Let these votes get accumulated to ensure our victory.”
The Owaisi-Rajbhar meeting comes a day after the Aam Aadmi Party announced its plan to contest the UP Assembly polls in 2022.
Attributing a part of his success to OP Rajbhar, Owaisi, whose party performed well in Muslim dominated Seemanchal region of the neighbouring Bihar, said: "Rajbhar ji too has a role in the success we got in Bihar. We are part of the Grand Democratic Secular Alliance. We got a lot of confidence from the success in Bihar, and we will continue that momentum."
Meanwhile, Owaisi slammed Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over her comments on Tuesday that the BJP was allegedly trying to import the AIMIM to that poll-bound state to intensify communal polarisation and divide the Hindu-Muslim votes among themselves.
Owaisi said Banerjee was part of the BJP-led NDA when the 2002 Gujarat riots happened. "Till now Mamata Banerjee has only met obedient Mir Jaffers (who betrayed Nawab Siraj-ud-Daullah) and Mir Sadiqs (who betrayed Tipu Sultan during the Siege of Seringapatam, paving the way for a British victory). She is yet to come face-to-face with a good Muslim, and it will happen," Owaisi said.
Owaisi hinted at meeting more political leaders in UP including Shivpal Yadav, the estranged uncle of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. Shivpal now heads an outfit of his own called _Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia.