Disgruntled Nasimuddin Siddiqui joining Samajwadi Party irritates INC
By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCK: Is Congress trying to win the support of Samajwadi Party leader Mohd Azam Khan and his followers in Rampur and other neighboring areas? There is talk in political circles about the recent meeting of UPCC president Ajay Rai and other leaders with Tanzeen Khan, the wife of jailed Mohd Azam Khan, at her Rampur residence.
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 UP Assembly elections in 2027. The Congress leaders expressed their solidarity with Mohd Azam Khan, who is considered a victim of a political vendetta. Ajay Rai also conveyed Eid greetings to Tanzeen Khan from other senior leaders.
During the meeting, Tanzeen Khan said that her husband Mohd Azam Khan was unwell inside the prison and was deprived of the necessary facilities for a senior leader. Privacy was not guaranteed when family members visited the jail to meet the SP veteran.
Ajay Rai, expressing solidarity with Mohd Azam Khan, told Tanzeen Khan that the Congress stood by his family. The meeting managed to convey the political message to Mohd Azam Khan and his followers, especially the Muslims in Rampur and other parts of western UP.
It would be worth mentioning here that Mohd Azam Khan and his family are upset with the way the Samajwadi Party was promoting others in Rampur without trusting them. On the other hand, Congress leaders are upset that veteran leader Nasimuddin Siddiqui quit the party and joined the SP.
It is important to remember that Nasimuddin Siddiqui, who had held the number two position in the BSP government, left the party and joined the Congress a few years ago. The Congress high command gave a lot of importance to Siddiqui and he enjoyed key positions. But of late, Siddiqui felt that he was being ignored by the Congress top brass and decided to quit the party and join the Samajwadi Party.
Day by day, Nasimuddin Siddiqui is gaining importance in the Samajwadi Party, which is very keen to leverage his experience in the BSP and the importance he enjoyed due to his proximity to Kanshiram and Mayawati.
Although the Samajwadi Party and the Congress are part of the INDIA alliance, there is a healthy competition between the two parties for poaching popular grassroots leaders and increasing reach in the Muslim vote bank. (IPA Service)