Former BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui has joined the Samajwadi Party to strengthen its Muslim leadership ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, aiming to fill the vacuum left by jailed stalwart Azam Khan. Siddiqui, once a key figure in Mayawati's cabinet, holds significant influence among Muslims in the Bundelkhand and Awadh regions.
The Samajwadi Party (SP), Uttar Pradesh's main opposition, faces a significant gap in its Muslim leadership due to the prolonged imprisonment of Azam Khan, a 77-year-old 10-time MLA and founding leader. In November 2023, nearly two months after his release from jail, a special court in Rampur sentenced him to seven years in prison for a forgery case involving two PAN cards, along with his son, former MLA Abdullah Azam Khan. Khan co-founded the SP with late patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and held cabinet positions in every SP government. During Akhilesh Yadav's 2012 administration, he was allocated eight ministries and regarded as the party's second-most powerful figure after Akhilesh.
To address this void ahead of the 2027 state assembly polls, SP president Akhilesh Yadav has inducted Naseemuddin Siddiqui, a veteran legislator who spent over three decades in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and eight years in Congress before joining SP on February 15. Siddiqui was considered the 'No. 2' in Mayawati's 2007-2012 cabinet and wields considerable influence among Muslims in Bundelkhand and Awadh. A senior SP leader stated, "Siddiqui had been approaching SP leadership for a long time. If not inducted, he might have campaigned for Congress, raising Muslim concerns and shifting our votes."
Some hesitation arose from his 2017 dramatic exit from BSP, where he accused Mayawati of demanding Rs 50 crore and released audio clips alleging corruption. Nonetheless, his regional following and the influx of influential Muslim leaders with him swayed the decision. Another leader noted, "Azam sahab often tried to dominate, but Siddiqui assures he will work as a 'junior.'" Siddiqui's career began with his 1991 election from Banda, serving as minister in BSP governments of 1995, 1997, and 2002, peaking in 2007-2012.
He joined Congress in 2018, became western zone president in 2019, but polled only 2.34% in the Bijnor Lok Sabha contest. He resigned in January, claiming sidelining. At the Lucknow induction, when a reporter likened him to Khan, Akhilesh quipped, "Get your eyesight checked." Akhilesh added, "Injustice has been done to respected Azam sahab. All cases are fake." SP's 2022 poll success, winning 111 seats with 31 Muslim MLAs, underscores the focus on this community.
