SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will visit Rampur to meet jailed party leader Azam Khan over health concerns. The visit is being criticized by the BJP and Om Prakash Rajbhar as a political move to secure Muslim votes ahead of the 2027 UP elections.
Akhilesh Yadav to Meet Jailed Azam Khan
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav will visit Rampur on Thursday to meet party leader Azam Khan in jail and enquire about his health, SP leader Fakhrul Hasan Chand said, adding that Yadav will also meet Khan’s wife, Tanzeen Fatima, and other family members at their residence.
According to Chand, the visit comes after Yadav received information from Khan’s wife that his health was not good. “Akhilesh Yadav is visiting Rampur today, where he will meet Azam Khan in jail. He will inquire about his health, and subsequently, he will visit the residence of the respected Azam Khan to meet his wife, SP MP Tanzeen Fatima, as well as other family members, after which the respected Akhilesh Yadav ji will return,” Chand told ANI.
SP Accuses BJP of Fabricated Cases
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of targeting Khan through fabricated cases, Chand said, “Consider the way the BJP has gone about filing cases against Azam Khan, keeping him in jail on the basis of fabricated charges. SP will form the government, and all cases will be withdrawn.”
The visit comes ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and could also provide an opportunity for the party leadership to discuss its political strategy. Yadav had earlier visited Khan in Sitapur jail in March 2024, shortly before the Lok Sabha elections, to discuss political strategy and party candidates. He had also visited Khan in February 2020, when Khan, his wife and son Abdullah Azam were lodged in Sitapur jail.
Visit Slammed as ‘Election Gimmick’
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar criticised Yadav’s planned meeting, calling it an election-related exercise aimed at securing Muslim votes. “They are going today just to create an election gimmick. They are trying to secure Muslim votes with the help of Azam Khan. But Akhilesh Yadav has forgotten that Muslims will no longer spread the carpet for him,” Rajbhar said.
“The same Akhilesh Yadav who sent Azam Khan to jail is now going to meet him. The cases against Azam Khan were filed under his government. Azam Khan is in jail for the wrong he did. He was in jail for so long, but Akhilesh never went to meet him,” he added.
BJP leader Narendra Kashyap also alleged that Yadav was visiting Khan to discuss election strategy and accused the SP chief of political opportunism. “What kind of strategy could Akhilesh Yadav possibly devise with someone who is currently incarcerated, facing nearly 100 criminal cases, including charges of corruption and document forgery? Rather than genuinely helping or supporting him, Akhilesh Yadav is merely seeking to exploit Azam Khan, solely because he is a Muslim. Such political opportunism has no place in our political landscape,” he told ANI.
Azam Khan’s Legal Troubles
Azam Khan, a 10-time MLA from Rampur Sadar and a former Cabinet minister, has been one of the SP’s prominent Muslim leaders. He has been lodged in Rampur district jail since November last year following his conviction in a forgery case.
ED’s Money Laundering Probe
On October 13, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned Khan in Rampur jail as part of its ongoing money-laundering investigation linked to the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University. The probe concerns alleged diversion of government contract funds through private contractors and their subsequent use, including for the creation of assets linked to the trust and the university. The ED had earlier conducted searches at premises linked to Khan in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in connection with the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Khan has also been sentenced to two years in prison in a case related to his alleged objectionable remarks about government officials during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign.
Yadav Alleges Electoral Malpractice, Makes Promises
Separately, Yadav has recently accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of electoral malpractice, alleging that Basic Shiksha Adhikaris (BSAs) and District Inspectors of Schools (DIOSs) were intimidating people and facilitating electoral manipulation. He has urged the Election Commission to ensure impartiality in the electoral process.
The SP chief has also promised to regularise Shiksha Mitras as full-fledged teachers if his party returns to power, saying a separate budgetary provision would be made if required. (ANI)
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