SP Criticized for Naming Jailed Azam Khan as Star Campaigner, UP Bypolls

Samajwadi Party (SP) headed by Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday announced a list of 40 star campaigners for the by-elections to be held in nine UP Assembly constituencies, that include jailed party leader Azam Khan.
A section of its leaders within the party has been criticising the ' duplicity and cunningness of the party' for 'trying to corner Muslim votes'.

Former district president of Samajwadi Party in Rampur, Virendra Goyal has been questioning the motives of the party for adding Azam Khan's name to the list of star campaigners.
Putting his own party on the dock, Virendra Goyal said that the SP wants only to garner Muslim votes by making Azam Khan a star campaigner in the by-elections.

The SP leaders had made no practical effort even as Azam Khan is already staying in the jail for several months. If really there was some effort at support from SP leadership it could have had a voice raised for Azam in parliament and street corners, according to Virendra Goyal. Here it is wife Tanzin Fatima staying all alone in that house; not one leader of the SP did their rounds seeking out how things are with her.

He further said it was a conspiracy to get the Muslim vote bank to appoint Azam Khan as the star campaigner for by-elections.
"Akhilesh-led party never supported Azam Khan during his troubled times, but now they want votes of the Muslim community," he added.

Azam Khan, a ten-time MLA and former cabinet minister, is held guilty in various cases against graft and corruption charges and now sits in jail.

Akhilesh Yadav, wife Dimple Yadav, SP's general secretary Shivpal Yadav, and Jaya Bachchan are some of the most prominent star campaigners for bypolls from the lead party.

By-elections for nine Assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh are to be held on November 13.

The seats that are up for bypolls are Sisamau, Katehri, Kundarki, and Karhal, which SP won; Khair, Phulpur, and Ghaziabad, which BJP won; Manjhwa (NISHAD), Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar, which RLD has won. Counting will be on November 23.