Big changes are expected in the politics of Uttar Pradesh. There is speculation in the political corridors that Samajwadi Party veteran Azam Khan’s camp is angry with the party. It is reported that this resentment has increased to such an extent that Khan may even consider leaving the party. At present, he is the SP MLA from Rampur and is lodged in Sitapur Jail. He had contested the 2022 assembly elections from jail itself.
Such speculation had started after the statements of Azam Khan’s media advisor Fasahat Khan alias Sanu. In the party meeting held in Rampur on Sunday, he had said, “Chief Minister Yogi’s statement was correct that Akhilesh does not want Azam Khan to come out.” During the election campaign, Yogi Adityanath had said, ‘Akhilesh does not want Azam Khan to come out of jail.’
The special thing is that the news of displeasure of Azam camp has come to the fore at a time when the tension between Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia chief Shivpal Yadav and SP continues. There is also speculation that he may turn to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Fasahat said, “On the orders of Azam Khan Saheb, he voted for SP not only in Rampur, but in many adjoining districts. But our National President did not take the side of Muslims. Azam Khan has been in jail for more than two years, but the SP president has reached the jail only once to meet him. Not only this, he was not even made the leader of the opposition, nor was the importance given to the Muslims in the party. He reportedly said, ‘Now Akhilesh is smelling from our clothes.’
Azam Khan is a powerful leader!
Azam has been winning from Rampur seat since 1980. However, he had to face defeat once in 1996 at the hands of Congress. Wife Tazeen Fatima is a former MLA and former Rajya Sabha MP. At the same time, son Abdullah Azam Khan has won the election from Swar seat in Rampur. In the year 2019, when Azam left the Rampur seat after winning the Rampur Lok Sabha seat. During that time Fatima won from here. Whereas, on 22 March, Azam Khan resigned from the Rampur Lok Sabha seat to save the assembly seat. On the same day Akhilesh also left Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat to save Karhal seat.
Earlier, SP had expelled Azam Khan from the party. In May 2009, he was expelled from the party for 6 years, but in December 2010 his expulsion was withdrawn and he became a part of the party again. He could not join any other party or form an alliance during the expulsion.
Apart from this, the statement of SP MP Shafiqur Rehman Burke has also created uproar. She had said on Saturday that she was not happy with the work of her party, “which is not doing enough for the Muslims”.