Owaisi Targets Akhilesh Ahead of UP Polls, Alleges ‘Understanding’ With Yogi

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday accused the Samajwadi Party of failing Muslim voters despite decades of electoral support and alleged an “understanding” between its president Akhilesh Yadav and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Speaking to ANI in Lucknow ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, Owaisi argued that Muslims were seeking a greater share of political leadership rather than continuing to serve as a dependable vote bank.

“Muslims want to stop creating leaders and instead become leaders themselves. We don’t want to lay out rugs; we want to talk about our share,” he said.

OWAISI QUESTIONS SP’S RECORD IN AZAMGARH

Owaisi said Muslim voters had supported the Samajwadi Party for “two or three generations” and helped its founder, Mulayam Singh Yadav, become chief minister several times. He alleged that the community had been “destroyed” by repeatedly voting for the party.

Questioning the SP’s development record in Azamgarh, he contrasted it with institutions established in Saifai, the Yadav family’s home turf.

“You built a medical college in Saifai, a sports university,” he said, asking what the party had delivered for Azamgarh despite its political influence there.

Owaisi also questioned why Shibli College had not been granted university status. He accused the SP leadership of welcoming Muslim youths’ loyalty without adequately addressing their aspirations.

“This is a huge change that the Samajwadi Party is not noticing, but they will realise it soon,” he said of the demand for greater political representation.

ALLEGES ‘SETTING’ BETWEEN AKHILESH AND YOGI

Owaisi challenged Adityanath to contest from Sambhal and Akhilesh to contest from Gorakhpur, claiming AIMIM and local voters would defeat them.

“If both Akhilesh Yadav and the CM of Uttar Pradesh are so popular and liked, then the CM should come and contest from Sambhal, and Akhilesh should go and contest from Gorakhpur,” he said.

He alleged that there was an “understanding and setting” between the two leaders. The remarks were a political allegation; Owaisi did not provide evidence of such an arrangement in the quoted interview.

‘99 VS 1’ PITCH FOR 2027

Asked about Adityanath’s “80 vs 20” rhetoric, Owaisi said the coming election should instead be viewed as a contest between the poor and a wealthy minority.

“The real competition in the upcoming election will actually be ‘99 vs 1’,” he said.

Owaisi described the “99%” as Uttar Pradesh’s poor citizens and claimed that the remaining 1% held 40% of India’s wealth and benefited from the BJP’s ecosystem.

He said AIMIM’s meetings ahead of the election had been successful and expressed confidence that its candidates would win seats in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

With inputs from ANI