Uttar Pradesh United Democratic Front launched

New Delhi, June 10 (UNI) An electoral experiment successfully tried out by a clutch of Muslim organisations in Asom recently will be tested again in the upcoming polls in India's political bellwether state of Uttar Pradesh, the Shahi Imam of Delhi's grand old Jama Masjid announced today.

The Uttar Pradesh United Democratic Front (UPUDF) would challenge ''all established parties'' in the state, Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari told a news conference where he hit out at ''secular parties'' saying they had deceived Muslims since Independence.

Shaped on the pattern of the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) which notched up ten seats -- the same number as was won by the Bharatiya Janata Party -- in the April polls, it would provide an alternative to Muslims, dalits and other weaker sections of the society fed up with ''secular parties'', he said.

Front leaders did not rule out challenging the Samajwadi Party led by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav in the UP polls. ''We will oppose all established parties in UP,'' Front All India spokesman Rahat Mahmood Chaudhary said in response to queries in this regard.

''We want to create a situation where seeking Muslim support becomes a compulsion for all parties. Muslims have failed to get their legitimate share of power and vast sections of the community remain underdeveloped because we voted non-Muslim candidates to Assemblies and Parliament all these years,'' the Imam said.

''Secular parties'' had done little for Muslim welfare since Independence, he claimed, challenging the contention that the BJP would gain if Muslims did not vote for such parties. After all, the BJP had lost the polls in UP even when the community voted against the Congress, he pointed out.

While the AUDF comprised 13 organisations, the UPUDF so far has only seven parties -- the National Loktantrik Party, the Parcham Party of India, the Muslim Majlis, the Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, the Rashtrawadi Samaj Party, the Awami Dal and the Bharat Nirman Party. The Imam, however, said, more parties would join the Front in the coming days.

The UPUDF was formalised at a meeting of Muslim representatives and parties at the Jama Masjid today. Simultaneously, an All India Supreme Council was also formed with former union minister C M Ibrahim as Chairman to supervise the working of the UPUDF and to negotiate with like-minded people to establish such fronts in other states also.

''The Assam test was positive. The second testing dose would be in Uttar Pradesh,'' Mr Ibrahim, president of the All India Progressive Janata Dal, said. Constituents of the UPUDF would decide on their future strategy, including tie-up with like-minded parties, later, he added.

''Our doors are open for all,'' he said when asked about the possibility of a pact with the People's Democratic Front launched in UP by Shia cleric Maulana Kalb-e-Jawwad.

The Imam said he was merely patronising the move and would not accept any political post or membership of the Front.

AUDF working President Hafiz Rashid Ahmad Choudhary, Dr Masood Ahmad of the National Loktantrik Party and Saleem Peerzada of the Parcham Party of India were among others present on the occasion.

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