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Akhilesh Yadav meets senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan at Rampur District Jail amid renewed political debate in Uttar Pradesh. (Img: Dynamite News)
Rampur: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav intensified his political attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission after meeting senior party leader Mohammad Azam Khan at Rampur District Jail in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. The nearly hour-long interaction, which centred on their longstanding relationship and Khan’s circumstances in prison, drew attention to the Samajwadi Party’s political strategy ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
After the meeting, Yadav alleged that Azam Khan and his family had faced prolonged injustice through what he described as false cases. He also criticised the BJP over its approach to education and knowledge, questioned the independence of the Election Commission and raised concerns about developments involving Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur.
Speaking to the media after meeting Azam Khan, Yadav said the relationship between the two leaders extended beyond electoral politics and was rooted in a longstanding personal and political association. He maintained that his visit was driven by this connection and described the treatment of Khan and his family as an example of prolonged injustice.
The SP chief alleged that false cases had been pursued against Khan and that the resulting legal proceedings had kept the veteran leader in prison for an extended period. He also claimed that certain officials had played a role in cases against Khan, alleging that some government functionaries had been used to advance proceedings against him.
Yadav further suggested that some officials were beginning to distance themselves from such actions. These allegations reflect the Samajwadi Party leader’s position; the claims concerning the cases and officials remain subject to the relevant legal processes and independent verification.
Reiterating his support for Khan, Yadav argued that false allegations could not suppress the truth indefinitely, even if justice took time to emerge. He also highlighted the scale of the difficulties faced by Khan’s family, presenting their experience as particularly severe among political families.
The meeting was followed by a broader political attack on the BJP and the Election Commission. Yadav alleged that the BJP had little regard for education and intellectual development, accusing the party of maintaining links with officials whom he described as corrupt.
He also renewed the Samajwadi Party’s allegations concerning electoral irregularities. According to Yadav, his party had been questioning the Election Commission’s impartiality since 2022 and had alleged that the poll body was aligned with the BJP. He argued that developments surrounding alleged vote theft had reinforced the party’s concerns.
These assertions represent the SP chief’s political allegations and should not be interpreted as independently established findings against the Election Commission or the BJP.
The remarks bring electoral transparency, institutional independence and the conduct of public officials back into the political debate as Uttar Pradesh’s major parties prepare for the next Assembly election cycle.
Yadav also criticised the BJP-led government over the condition and treatment of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, an institution closely associated with Azam Khan. He alleged that the university had suffered extensive damage because of actions taken against it and accused the government of undermining educational institutions.
His remarks linked the dispute surrounding the university to a wider political argument over education, institutional autonomy and the treatment of organisations associated with opposition leaders.
The issue carries particular significance in Rampur, where Azam Khan has long been a prominent political figure and the university has remained part of the wider political and legal controversies surrounding him.
Speaking about Khan’s health, Yadav indicated that his condition had improved, although he continued to face the difficulties associated with incarceration. The two leaders also discussed Khan’s circumstances during their meeting, according to the account provided by Yadav.
After leaving the jail, the SP chief was scheduled to visit the residence of Dr Tanzim Fatima, Azam Khan’s wife, to meet the family. Yadav described the family relationship as longstanding and said that checking on one another was a natural part of their association.
The visit to the residence was also expected to bring the party chief into contact with family members and supporters who had gathered in Rampur. The presence of party workers and supporters added a public dimension to a meeting that Yadav characterised primarily as a personal and emotional engagement.
The latest interaction is reported to be the third meeting between Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan within a year. Yadav previously visited Rampur on October 9, 2025, to meet Khan. Khan subsequently travelled to Lucknow to meet Yadav on November 7, 2025.
Around two months before the latest visit, senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav had also met Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam Khan at Rampur District Jail. Shivpal later visited the family home and met Tanzim Fatima.
The repeated interactions have attracted attention because of Azam Khan’s longstanding role in the Samajwadi Party and his influence in Rampur and western Uttar Pradesh. The latest meeting has consequently prompted discussion about the party’s internal relationships, its engagement with Khan’s family and the political significance of the Rampur leadership ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam Khan are lodged in Rampur District Jail in connection with a PAN card case. An MP-MLA special court sentenced both men to seven years in prison in the matter. Azam Khan has challenged the verdict before the High Court, according to the information provided in the reports.
The legal proceedings form an important part of the background to the latest political developments. The allegations made by Yadav about the broader circumstances surrounding Khan’s incarceration are separate from the court proceedings and must be assessed in light of the applicable legal record.
The visit comes as political parties begin focusing on organisational preparation and electoral strategy ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Asked whether he had discussed a possible alliance arrangement or seat-sharing with Azam Khan, Yadav indicated that they had held an extensive conversation.
He also disclosed that he had received a detailed list of election-related issues from alliance partners and had brought it with him for discussion. He did not, in the reported remarks, announce a final seat-sharing arrangement or a concluded electoral understanding with Khan.
The meeting therefore carries both personal and political significance for the Samajwadi Party. While Yadav emphasised his longstanding relationship with Khan, his comments on alliance consultations, electoral integrity, education and the BJP placed the visit within the wider context of Uttar Pradesh politics.
As the legal proceedings involving Azam Khan and Abdullah Azam Khan continue, further developments concerning the case, the family and the Samajwadi Party’s electoral preparations are likely to remain under scrutiny.
