New alliance PDM Nyay Morcha set to challenge SP-led INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The emergence of the PDM (Pichda, Dalit, Muslim) Nyay Morcha, a new alliance jointly formed by Apna Dal (K) Pallavi Patel and Asaduddin Owaisi of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), is poised to stir up trouble for the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) led by the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.

With Congress and the Samajwadi Party forming the core of the opposition bloc INDIA, the entry of the PDM front follows the loss of the Rashtriya Lok Dal to the NDA.

The PDM Nyay Morcha marks AIMIM’s debut in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. While AIMIM had contested the 2017 UP Assembly elections and urban local body elections in the state, winning 32 seats, its foray into the parliamentary arena signifies a new chapter in its political journey.

The electoral landscape for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh was initially expected to be dominated by the BJP-led NDA and the Samajwadi Party-Congress INDIA bloc. However, the Bahujan Samaj Party’s decision to go solo, fielding many Muslim candidates, has already posed a challenge to the INDIA block.

The inclusion of the third alliance, PDM Nyay Morcha, comprising several smaller parties, has the potential to further impact the electoral dynamics, potentially undermining the fortunes of the INDIA parties.

The new alliance, representing ‘Pichhde, Dalit, and Musalman,’ directly challenges the SP’s PDA pitch. This move has the potential to erode the SP’s Muslim-Yadav vote bank, a crucial constituency for the party.

Pallavi Patel of Apna Dal (K) has also set her sights on the Samajwadi Party, criticizing its leadership’s stance towards minority communities. Patel, a former ally of the Samajwadi Party, accused the SP of failing to prioritise the backward and Muslim communities despite electoral promises.

The electoral track record of AIMIM and Apna Dal (K) in Uttar Pradesh reflects their limited impact thus far. In the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections, AIMIM struggled to secure significant victories, while Apna Dal (K) faced setbacks in its electoral performance.

Despite these challenges, the AIMIM demonstrated improved performance in the 2023 urban local body elections, securing positions in various municipal bodies. However, its success in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls remains untested in Uttar Pradesh. Founded by Sonelal Patel in 1995, Apna Dal has undergone internal divisions, leading to the emergence of factions like Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) and Apna Dal (Sonelal).