Lucknow – Former minister and influential OBC leader in Uttar Pradesh politics, Swami Prasad Maurya, on Thursday unveiled a new political alliance named Lok Morcha, bringing together nine smaller parties, primarily representing backward communities.
At a press conference announcing the formation, Maurya declared himself as the chief ministerial candidate of this new front and launched the campaign slogan: “UP Bachao – BJP Hatao” (Save UP – Remove BJP). The alliance will contest the 2027 assembly elections with a focus on backward class representation and public-centric issues.
A Coalition of Marginalised Voices
The Lok Morcha includes:
- Apni Janata Party (Swami Prasad Maurya)
- Rashtriya Samanta Dal (Motilal Shastri)
- Samyak Party (Rajamani Suvvaiya Rai)
- Janseva Dal (Vinesh Thakur)
- Political Justice Party (Rajesh Siddharth)
- Sarvlokhit Samaj Party (Satya Narayan Maurya)
- Swatantra Janata Raj Party (Ghanshyam Kori)
- Sabka Dal-U (Pramod Lodhi)
- Loktantra Suraksha Party (Rajkumar Saini)
Most of these parties are led by leaders from OBC communities, and Maurya stressed that caste-based representation will be central to the Morcha’s organisational structure. The guiding principle of the alliance will be “Jiski jitni sankhya bhaari, uski utni hissedari” — or proportional representation based on population share.
A Grassroots Campaign
Starting Friday, Lok Morcha will begin outreach efforts across districts within the Lucknow division. The campaign will focus on educating citizens about the front’s agenda, core ideology, and plans for public welfare.
Maurya said the Morcha aims to build a strong statewide movement centred around issues affecting ordinary people. He sharply criticised the current Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government, accusing it of:
- Failing to maintain law and order
- Ignoring reservation policies in outsourced recruitments
- Allowing prices of essential goods to soar
- Encouraging the privatisation of education
- Neglecting poor students
- Exploiting farmers
- Creating an atmosphere of fear among Muslims
Call for Ballot Paper Voting
Maurya also demanded a return to ballot paper-based voting for both assembly and Lok Sabha elections, expressing distrust in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
A Political Journey of Shifting Alliances
Swami Prasad Maurya has had a dynamic political career. Once a close associate of BSP chief Mayawati, he served as a cabinet minister in the BSP government between 2007 and 2012. In a dramatic move, he joined the BJP in August 2016 and was fielded from his traditional Padrauna constituency in 2017, which he won, and went on to serve as a minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet.
Ahead of the 2022 assembly elections, he parted ways with the BJP and joined the Samajwadi Party, contesting from the Fazilnagar seat, where he was defeated by the BJP candidate. In February 2024, Maurya resigned from the Samajwadi Party, paving the way for the formation of his political platform.
A New Political Front Ahead of 2027
With Lok Morcha, Maurya aims to consolidate backward caste votes and position himself as a challenger to the ruling BJP. By mobilising smaller caste-based parties and focusing on grassroots-level concerns, Maurya hopes to carve out a meaningful political space in the run-up to the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
