Disgruntled Nasimuddin Siddiqui joining Samajwadi Party irks INC
By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: Is Congress trying to win over the support from Samajwadi Party leader Mohd Azam Khan and his followers in Rampur and other neighbouring areas? The recent meeting of UPCC president Ajay Rai and other leaders with Tanzeen Khan, the wife of the incarcerated Mohd Azam Khan, at her Rampur residence is being talked about in political circles.
Since Mohd Azam Khan is in jail, this meeting of the state Congress leaders with his wife has assumed some importance in view of the crucial 2027 UP Assembly polls. Congress leaders expressed solidarity with Mohd Azam Khan, who is being viewed as a victim of political vendetta. Ajay Rai conveyed Eid greetings to Tanzeen Khan from other senior leaders as well.
During the meeting, Tanzeen Khan said that her husband Mohd Azam Khan was not keeping well inside the prison and was deprived of facilities required for a senior leader. There was no privacy granted when family members visited jail to meet the SP veteran.
Expressing solidarity with Mohd Azam Khan, Ajay Rai told Tanzeen Khan that Congress was behind their family. The meeting has succeeded in giving the political message to Mohd Azam Khan and his followers, especially Muslims in Rampur and other parts of Western UP.
It would be worth mentioning here that Mohd Azam Khan and his family are upset about the manner Samajwadi Party was promoting others in Rampur without taking them into confidence. On the other hand, Congress leadership is upset over veteran leader Nasimuddin Siddiqui leaving the party and joining SP.
It’s important to recall that Nasimuddin Siddiqui, who had enjoyed number two position in the BSP government, left the party and joined Congress few years back. Siddiqui was given much importance by the Congress high command and enjoyed key positions. But of late, Siddiqui felt that he was being ignored by the Congress top brass and decided to leave the party and joined Samajwadi Party.
Day by day, Nasimuddin Siddiqui is gaining importance in Samajwadi Party, which is very keen to take the advantage of his experience in BSP and the importance he enjoyed due to proximity with Kanshiram and Mayawati.
Although Samajwadi Party and Congress are both part of INDIA alliance, but there is a healthy competition between the two parties over poaching popular grassroots leaders and increase outreach in Muslim vote bank. (IPA Service)
