SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav meets Azam Khan in Rampur. Click here for details

This is Azam Khan’s first formal meeting with the top leadership of the SP after his release from jail on bail. The meeting is scheduled to last approximately one hour.

Lucknow (Rampur): Samajwadi Party (SP) Supremo and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav met the party’s veteran leader and long-time Muslim face, Azam Khan, in Rampur today.

This meeting is not a simple courtesy, but is also considered important from a political perspective.

SP Chief arrived in Bareilly

According to Dynamite News correspondent, Akhilesh Yadav arrived in Bareilly by charter plane and from there travelled to Rampur by road. In Rampur, he directly goes to Azam Khan's residence. This is Azam Khan's first formal meeting with the top leadership of the SP after his release from jail on bail. The meeting is scheduled to last approximately one hour.

First meeting after release

Azam Khan was released on bail in September after spending nearly 23 months in jail. The absence of any senior SP leader at his release had raised questions in political circles.

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Azam Khan’s growing displeasure has been visible through his recent remarks, reflecting deep discontent within the Samajwadi Party’s senior leadership. In a significant political move, SP Chief set to visit Rampur to personally meet the veteran leader at his residence.

The meeting comes amid speculation of strained ties between the two, making it a crucial moment for the party’s internal dynamics ahead of the upcoming political season.

The Mathematics of the Muslim Vote Bank

Uttar Pradesh has a Muslim population of approximately 20%. Muslim voters play a decisive role in dozens of districts like Rampur, Mau, Azamgarh, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, and Meerut. Azam Khan was once considered the community's biggest political representative. Now that parties like AIMIM and BSP are also trying to woo Muslim voters, it has become crucial for Akhilesh Yadav to use Azam to firmly regain the Muslim vote bank.

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Tight Security Arrangements

In view of Akhilesh's visit, the Bareilly and Rampur administrations have made strict security arrangements. Three magistrates and a CO-level officer have been deployed to prevent any disturbance.