Mission 2024: Congress bats for Azam because it seems to be to woo Muslims again
The Congress in Uttar Pradesh is about to bat for the Samajwadi Occasion’s (SP) most seen Muslim face Azam Khan, presently within the crosshairs of investigative businesses and who has seen circumstances pile up towards him since 2017, after the SP authorities during which he was an influential minister misplaced to the Bharatiya Janata Occasion.
Azam Khan (FILE PHOTO)
The event, a part of Congress’s effort to reconnect with Muslims, would see it elevate the difficulty of alleged ‘injustice’ below the BJP rule to probably the most vocal and numerically dominant amongst all minority teams, which backed it until 1989, when Congress final dominated UP.
“We are going to battle for Azam Khan sahib. He could also be with SP however we’ll bat for him,” stated UP Congress chief Ajay Rai. “We are going to focus on rising atrocities towards Muslims, together with that of Azam Khan sahib below BJP rule on the forthcoming assembly of the social gathering’s minority committee in November. Our senior leaders would even be current and after we’d launch our outreach,” UP Congress’s minority wing chief Shahnawaz Alam stated.
Submit 1989, the Congress watched its Muslim voter gravitate in direction of the Samajwadi Occasion, which was arrange in 1992. Azam Khan, among the many SP’s founders, was lately sentenced to seven years in jail with household in his son Abdullah’s pretend beginning certificates case.
By taking over his case, the Congress is subtly trying to point to minorities that it’s keen to boost its voice for all those that really feel exploited below BJP, throughout social gathering traces – a gesture pushed by the realisation that to reclaim its misplaced glory nationally, it should win again its misplaced voter base in UP.
After the November assembly, the social gathering would launch marketing campaign to attach with Muslims as a part of which it could additionally maintain conferences with small teams of Muslims at tea retailers from December onwards, the place the social gathering cadres would additionally carry photocopies of the Structure in a delicate try and play up their oft repeated, however unverified cost of BJP’s trying to “change the Structure.”
In west U.P. the place Azam Khan as soon as dominated, a number of Muslim leaders of affect have both joined the Congress or are tipped to cross over after the outcomes of the meeting elections in 5 states are out in December.
Former lawmaker Imran Masood, who wields some affect in Saharanpur and close by areas, has returned to the Congress, whereas Ahmad Hameed, son of influential social gathering chief Kaukab Hameed Khan is about to affix in Baghpat, Congress leaders admit. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had lately met Danish Ali, BSP’s Lok Sabha MP from Amroha.
Until his disqualification Azam Khan had gained Rampur (sadar) meeting seat a report 10 instances whereas his son Abdullah Azam, gained Suar meeting seat in Rampur twice – being disqualified each instances.
Some Congress leaders admit that elevating Azam Khan difficulty may assist them join with Muslim-majority Rampur in addition to close by areas of Sambhal and Moradabad too.
Political specialists nonetheless really feel that Congress must watch out to not antagonise SP, which is most popular alternative of majority of Muslim voters. The SP is Congress’s ally within the bigger opposition alliance.
“In politics, nothing occurs with out motive. The Congress is determined to woo its misplaced Muslim vote and thus is speaking about Azam Khan. Nevertheless, Khan is a SP veteran and Congress should tread fastidiously on that entrance,” stated Irshad Ilmi, a political skilled.
The Congress, which witnessed some uncomfortable moments when SP management focused them over seat sharing points in Madhya Pradesh, is maybe conscious of this facet.
“We’ve all the time raised the voice of oppressed, minorities, ladies and marginalised. So be it case of Azam Khan sahib or others, there’s a rising view that Muslims are being focused and therefore all these elements could be taken up by the social gathering management,” Alam stated.
Azam Khan has seen a pile of circumstances, starting from critical to absurd, towards him – principally filed by Akash Saxena – now the primary BJP MLA from Rampur (Sadar), a bastion that Azam gained a report ten instances. On Saturday, when he was being shifted out of Rampur jail to Sitapur, Azam had informed the media that he even fears being killed in an encounter.
“Something can occur,” Azam had informed the media whereas refusing to take a seat in the course of the police automobile that was to take him to Sitapur. “You may break my bones and make me sit within the center however not in any other case,” Azam had informed police personnel, who relented because the SP veteran cited a medical situation.
Quickly after the Rampur courtroom sentenced him and household to seven years in jail, Azam had sarcastically commented that native channels had been conscious of the judgement a day earlier than it was really delivered. “Verdict delivered, not justice,” Azam had gone on to remark. Instantly after, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav stated Azam was being troubled as he was a Muslim.
The BJP is unmoved by the developments. “It’s true that I’ve filed a lot of the circumstances towards him (Azam) however I’ve not delivered the punishment or sentenced him. The courtroom has and in case he feels he’s wronged, he can go to courtroom,” BJP’s Rampur (Sadar) lawmaker Akash Saxena stated.
In 2022 UP polls, one the place Azam didn’t marketing campaign as he was in jail attributable to collection of circumstances registered towards him, Muslims had backed the SP in an enormous approach. Of the 34 Muslim lawmakers, 32, together with Azam and his son Abdullah, had gained on SP ticket and two on SP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal’s image, majority of them from west UP.
In 2012, when the SP fashioned its first ever majority authorities, 69 Muslim lawmakers had been elected to the UP meeting – the best ever and 45 of whom had been on SP image. In 1991, on the peak of the Ram temple motion, barely 17 Muslim lawmakers had been elected to the UP meeting.
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