The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party on Tuesday, 19 March, announced they would contest all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in alliance.
Announcing the alliance, SP MLA Abu Asim Azmi said the two parties together represent about "85-90 percent" of society and provided a third front for people let down by the BJP and Congress.
"Secularism is about to end in the country. Those who call themselves chowkidars can go to any length, and peddle lies, to cling on to power," he alleged.
He claimed only the SP-BSP alliance was strong enough to stop the BJP from winning over 5-7 seats in Maharashtra.
Attacking the Congress, Azmi said the main opposition party had made Muslims, Dalits and the backward classes "helpless", as there was no third alternative available for people.