There are still a few months left for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2027, but political parties have started laying their chessboard. SP General Secretary Azam Khan is once again at the center of discussion in the politics of the state. The activism of Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav has suddenly increased regarding Azam Khan, who is one of the most powerful Muslim faces of SP.
Akhilesh-Shivpal’s first Azam Khan Meeting Azam, then sympathizing with the Azam family and raising the question of their safety after taking them on remand by ED is not considered a mere coincidence. In such a situation, the question arises that why is SP remembering Azam Khan so fondly a few months before the elections?
Is this a matter of old relations and political respect with Azam Khan or is there a possibility of Muslim votes slipping behind this? Has Asaduddin Owaisi’s activism Akhilesh Yadav Has been forced to rethink its strategy?
Akhilesh remembered Azam Khan
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav Rampur Going to jail and meeting Azam Khan, before that Shivpal Yadav going to Rampur and now going to Dasna jail to meet Azam Khan and his family, it is being considered an attempt from the party to give a clear message. After a long time, on October 22, Akhilesh Yadav reached Rampur District Jail and met Azam Khan. After this meeting which lasted for about 69 minutes, Akhilesh had expressed his commitment towards Azam Khan.
Akhilesh Yadav had said that this meeting was not political but emotional, but four days before this meeting, Asaduddin Owaisi had held a rally in Rampur and accused Akhilesh Yadav of using Muslims. Shivpal Yadav first in Rampur jail and now after this on 12th November Ghaziabad Reached Dasna jail and met Azam Khan. On the same day, ED got the custody of Azam Khan for four days.
Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav expressed concern about the safety and health of Azam Khan by posting on their social media. He appealed to the administration not to be negligent in any way. Political experts believe that the SP leadership wants to show that the party stands firmly with its oldest and tallest Muslim face, so that any kind of resentment or confusion among the workers and supporters can be removed.
A stake to reduce the old distance between Akhilesh-Azam?
Azam Khan Samajwadi Party Have been among the founding leaders. From the era of Mulayam Singh Yadav till Akhilesh government, he had a big stature in the party. He has been MLA ten times, minister four times and MP twice. Apart from this, he is considered a big Muslim face of SP. He is considered to have a strong hold among the Muslims of UP.
However, in the last few years, there have been continuous discussions about political distance between Azam Khan and Akhilesh Yadav. Azam has been in jail for a long time, there was resentment among his supporters that the top leadership of the party did not show as much activism for him in difficult times as was expected from them.
Akhilesh Yadav standing with Azam Khan
On November 12, Shivpal Yadav also reached Ghaziabad’s Dasna jail and met Azam Khan and on the same day, ED got Azam Khan’s custody for four days. Akhilesh Yadav’s concern about the safety and health of Azam Khan on ED remand is being considered as part of a strategy.
Earlier there were allegations from the opposition parties and Azam Khan’s supporters that the SP leadership had left Azam Khan alone at the time of crisis. That is why Akhilesh Yadav’s coming forward on ED remand is being seen as an effort to change that old perception.
Akhilesh Yadav’s meeting in Rampur jail was seen as an attempt to bridge this old distance. The special thing was that Akhilesh publicly accepted the political importance of Azam Khan. Now in this episode, Shivpal’s meeting with Azam Khan in Dasna jail is also being seen. There are old relations between Shivpal and Azam Khan. In such a situation, his meeting is being seen as an attempt to strengthen the dialogue between the old leaders of the party and the supporters of Azam Khan.
Question of Muslim votes and Owaisi’s challenge
Asaduddin Owaisi’s factor is also in discussion behind Akhilesh Yadav’s increased activism regarding Azam Khan. On October 18, Owaisi held a rally in Rampur and on November 12 in Lucknow, he announced to contest the elections with Chandrashekhar Azad’s party. During this, Owaisi targeted Akhilesh and alleged that Samajwadi Party uses Muslims only to get votes.
Owaisi also raised the treatment meted out to Azam Khan. His question was that if any Yadav leader had been put in jail, would Akhilesh Yadav have adopted a similar attitude? This attack of Owaisi was directly on the political equation on the basis of which Samajwadi Party claims its strong hold among Muslim voters.
This is the reason why Akhilesh Yadav’s visit to Rampur and raising the issue of Azam Khan’s security is also being seen as Owaisi’s political impact. Although Akhilesh had described his meeting as emotional, but according to political experts, its political message cannot be ignored. Azam Khan has been a big face of Muslim politics in UP for a long time. He has a strong base of supporters in Rampur and surrounding districts. In such a situation, maintaining distance from Azam Khan can create a political challenge for SP.
Azam Khan’s political influence is still important
Azam Khan’s political power cannot be understood only by his electoral victory or defeat. He has his own organizational and social base in the politics of Rampur. Mohibullah Nadvi of Samajwadi Party was elected MP from Rampur in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But there was also discussion about the role of Azam Khan and his supporters in this election.
Azam Khan’s influence in Rampur and the political direction of his supporters is important for the Samajwadi Party. If resentment against the party leadership increases among Azam Khan’s supporters, then its effect can be seen in Rampur as well as some areas of western UP. Azam Khan’s own political group is still present in Rampur, Azam Khan’s opinion and support remains important for the local leaders of the party.
Azam Khan’s political influence is not limited to Rampur only, but also to Moradabad, be careful, Bijnor And Amroha For example, he is considered to have influence on the assembly seats of many districts of Western UP and Rohilkhand. The margin of victory or defeat in many seats of these areas is very small, hence the SP leadership does not want to let its core vote bank be breached at any cost. This is why Akhilesh Yadav is not only faced with the question of convincing Azam Khan, but also has the challenge of keeping his supporters with the party.
Akhilesh alert from new alliance of Owaisi-Chandrashekhar
Another development in UP politics is important for the Samajwadi Party. Asaduddin Owaisi and Chandrashekhar Azad have announced to form a new front for the UP Assembly elections 2027. The effort to bring together Muslim and Dalit voters is considered important in the politics of this alliance. Owaisi has already been raising the question of Muslim political representation, while Chandrashekhar Azad has his own identity in Dalit politics.
With the activation of this new front in UP, new equations can be created in opposition politics. The challenge for SP will be how united its PDA i.e. backward, Dalit and minority equation remains. Azam Khan has been a big name of Muslim leadership in this equation. Political analysts are linking this to the increasing activism of Asaduddin Owaisi’s party AIMIM in UP. In the last few elections, Owaisi has continuously tried to set the narrative that SP only takes Muslim votes, but does not fight for the rights and respect of their leaders.
It is considered very important for SP to take Azam Khan along to prevent any possible split among Muslim voters before the UP elections and to counter this political move of Owaisi. In such a situation, it will not be easy for Akhilesh Yadav to ignore the political importance of Azam Khan. By standing with Azam Khan before the elections, Akhilesh not only wants to prevent any kind of breach in the Muslim vote bank, but is also trying to rework the traditional equations of the party in Western Uttar Pradesh and Rohilkhand region.
Akhilesh Yadav’s growing closeness to Azam Khan cannot be understood merely by describing it as an emotional relationship. This includes many aspects like repair of old relationships, questions arising about Muslim leadership, organizational hold in Rampur and preparation for 2027 elections. Now the big question is whether Azam Khan and his supporters will stand strongly with Akhilesh Yadav?
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