Lucknow, Sep 19 (IANS): A fresh attempt is being made in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to form a front of smaller parties.

The coalition that will maintain an equal-distance from BJP and Congress will be like the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha (BSM) that was conceptualised in the state ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls.

The parties that are expected to be a part of this coalition include Shivpal Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSPL), the All India Majlis-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) led by Om Prakash Rajbhar.

PSPL national spokesperson Deepak Mishra said, "PSPL national president Shivpal Yadav has always called for opposition unity and has also stated in no uncertain terms that our party will not enter into any alliance with the SP. For PSPL, any association with the Congress or the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is unlikely to last in the prevailing state of affairs. Hence, a third front without these four parties is what the party workers and senior leaders are looking at."

SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar said, "When a party like the BJP has entered into alliances with more than 50 parties, the opposition will also have to join hands to challenge them. I do not think people should have any problem understanding this."

The AIMIM has already announced that an alliance of the opposition parties was needed if like-minded political parties want to oust the BJ P from power in 2024.

"We are all in for an opposition alliance, particularly in UP. We have backed the idea of Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha and are of the view that the idea should crystalize before parliament elections," said AIMIM's state convenor and president Shaukat Ali.

Sources said that Shivpal Yadav was likely to emerge as the leader of the proposed front because Om Prakash Rajbhar had lost credibility after he dumped AIMIM before the Assembly polls and joined hands with SP.

Other smaller parties like Mahan Dal and Janwadi party are also tipped to join the front.