PDM Nyaya Morcha, the third front representing the interests of ‘Pichda’, ‘Dalits’ and Muslims, remains a nonstarter and unlikely to have an impact in the electoral politics of Uttar Pradesh where the contest is largely between the BJP-led NDA and the INDIA bloc.
Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), former ally of the Samajwadi Party, Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party, Rashtriya Uday Party, and Hyderabad-based All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen led by Asauddin Owaisi had floated the PDM Nyaya Morcha. The constituents of the Morcha have miniscule presence in some assembly segments of UP.
Pallavi Patel of Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) said that their motive was to remove the confusion in ‘A’ in the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) slogan given by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
Given that the voter base of this third front is nearly similar to that of the Samajwadi Party-Congress (INDIA bloc), the immediate inference is that it could harm the prospects of the opposition candidates in some seats of Uttar Pradesh which it decides to contest.
The front is yet to declare the number of seats it will contest. While the Congress is contesting 17 seats, the Samajwadi Party and other like-minded parties will field their candidates in the remaining 63 in the northern state.
As for the PDM Nyay Morcha, the Apna Dal (K), PMSP and RUP are preparing to contest some of the 64 seats which will go to polls in the third to seventh phases of the Lok Sabha elections. But, the newly-minted alliance is already facing challenges as other players like Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party (RSSP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya and Azad Samaj Party (ASP) chief Chandrashekhar Azad are seemingly cold to the overtures of Owaisi to join the front.
Swami Prasad Maurya is also not enthused to join the alliance as the OBC leader is in touch with the Congress which is likely to extend support to him to contest from Kushinagar.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) spokesperson Mohammed Farhan said the party might not field any candidates in any of the seats and instead campaign for the Morcha candidates.
“The opposition has always accused the AIMIM of helping the BJP and this time too, INDIA constituents are going to repeat this charge. The AIMIM does not want to attract that charge this time and will focus on campaigning for the other candidates,” the leader said. Earlier, there were reports that the AIMIM was looking to make its Lok Sabha poll debut in Uttar Pradesh.
While the PDM Nyay Morcha claims it will take on both the NDA and the INDIA candidates, most political analysts agree that since its constituents have limited presence in some assembly segments, they may only spoil the chances of INDIA candidates in a few seats.
“These parties indulge in identity politics. AIMIM has limited support in a section of Muslims. The Apna Dal (K) enjoys support from mainly the Kurmis. However, in Lok Sabha elections, voters do not like to waste their votes. Muslims generally vote for a candidate who is in a position to defeat the BJP candidate. While a few die-hard supporters may vote for Owaisi, Muslims are unlikely to vote for the AIMIM,” an analyst said.
“The Morcha is likely to field those candidates who are disgruntled either with the BJP or the INDIA bloc,” he added.
“Muslims have largely been voting against the NDA, and AIMIM is unlikely to attract many votes. Further, in Ghazipur, the AIMIM will be forced to extend a covert or overt support to Afzal Ansari. The Mukhtar Ansari factor will remain limited to Ghazipur. The candidates put up by the new front may only end up becoming spoilers for INDIA candidates,” a Samajwadi Party leader remarked.
