After its alliance with the Maharashtra's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) failed, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is now eager to join hands with Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led front for the forthcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. The SP, which has just one seat in the state assembly and in order to formalise the alliance, is insisting the Congress party for at least three assembly constituencies, of which two are in Mumbai. Since the SP has a stronghold among the Muslim community more aggressive than the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by the Owaisi brothers, is eager to make its presence felt in Mumbai and the surrounding areas, where the Muslim community has significant numbers. In Maharashtra, during the Lok Sabha elections, the SP and BSP, had replicated their short-lived alliance in Uttar Pradesh, but could not make their presence felt. "We are in negotiations with the Congress. Though we insist on getting 10 seats, we are willing to draw the line if we get at least three constituencies, namely Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar, Byculla and Bhiwandi (E)," said a senior SP leader. While SP Maharashtra and Mumbai chief Abu Asim Azmi represents Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar in the state legislative assembly, party corporator Raees Shaikh is eager to contest from Byculla, which is represented by the AIMIM's Waris Pathan. The SP has pockets of support in Bhiwandi, which was won by Azmi in 2009. Azmi confirmed they were in talks with the Congress. "We will put forth rational demands to the Congress party to prevent division of secular votes... I am open to negotiating on numbers. We will discuss seat-sharing only if we get these three constituencies," he said. Azmi however lamented that "there was a problem as the Congress lacked leadership and leaders who could take a decision," with multiple leaders speaking in different voices when it came to these issues. In 2009, Azmi, who has found himself in controversy in the past over his polarising, incendiary speeches, pitched himself as a leader of the Hindi-speakers and north Indians, following his war of words with MNS chief Raj Thackeray. The subsequent linguistic polarisation saw the MNS win 13 seats, while the SP past the post in four, with Azmi winning from two constituencies.

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