Akhilesh met Azam Khan to save slipping Muslim vote bank, say UP ministers

Lucknow, Oct 8 (PTI) Several Uttar Pradesh ministers took a dig at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav after he met senior party leader Azam Khan -- who was released from jail last week -- at his Rampur residence on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Cooperation (Independent Charge) JPS Rathore said that after ignoring Azam Khan during the 23 months he was in jail, Akhilesh has now come to shed crocodile tears after the leader was released on bail.

In a statement, the minister termed the meeting a political ploy to save Muslim vote bank.

"Azam himself said that no one cared about his family while in jail. Akhilesh tried to end Azam's political career by creating an alternative to him in Rampur. Now he has gone to meet Azam after seeing that his vote bank is slipping. This is just a political stunt," Rathore said, adding, "Akhilesh has no attachment to Azam, nor to anyone else. His only concern is the vote bank." Rathore said Akhilesh used to reach out to others in distress, but he never met the senior party leader in jail. "Once a friendship becomes strained, it becomes meaningless. Even Azam understands this," he added.

Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh said that Akhilesh delayed the meeting for too long.

"Azam Khan is a Samajwadi Party leader and it is only right to meet him. But I reiterate that Akhilesh delayed meeting him for too long. If he was concerned about Azam, he would have met him immediately after his bail. Now, the fear of losing his vote bank is driving him to Rampur," Singh said.

Om Prakash Rajbhar, a cabinet minister in the Uttar Pradesh government and chief of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), said the meeting was a result of political compulsion.

Rajbhar said Akhilesh is afraid that Azam Khan and Shivpal Singh Yadav might be playing a trick together. "Let them do it. These two leaders have a strong hold in the Samajwadi Party, and Akhilesh fears it," he said.

Rajbhar pointed out that Azam Khan still retains his influence in the Samajwadi Party. "Akhilesh Yadav's visit to Rampur and rubbing his nose at his doorstep is proof of this," he said.

The impact of Azam Khan's displeasure has already been felt in the Samajwadi Party, the SBSP chief said, adding, "After Azam's arrest, the Samajwadi Party lost the Rampur seat. Akhilesh had remained silent at that time, but is now meeting him to save his vote bank." PTI CDN RUK RUK