Former Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who recently resigned from the Congress, joined the Samajwadi Party on Sunday in the presence of party chief Akhilesh Yadav. His induction comes amid growing political activity ahead of next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
The Samajwadi Party also welcomed several other prominent leaders into its fold, including former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Anees Ahmed Khan alias Phool Babu, former Apna Dal (Sonelal) MLA Rajkumar Pal, former MLA Dinanath Kushwaha, and Danish Khan.
Naseemuddin Siddiqui resigned from Congress
He resigned from Congress on January 24, where he was serving as the state president. His exit followed an incident during Rahul Gandhi's recent visit to Lucknow en route to Rae Bareli, when Siddiqui was reportedly denied entry at the airport to receive the Congress leader, prompting his return and subsequent resignation.
Siddiqui is widely regarded as a prominent Muslim leader in Uttar Pradesh politics.
Siddiqui was a four-time minister in Mayawati's govt
There had been speculation that Siddiqui might rejoin the BSP, with which he had a long association dating back to the time of Kanshi Ram. He was considered a close aide of Mayawati, who served four terms as Uttar Pradesh chief minister. During all four tenures, Siddiqui held cabinet ministerial positions. However, he was expelled from the BSP in 2017 and joined the Congress the following year.
Meanwhile, Anees Ahmed Khan alias Phool Babu, another key entrant, is a three-time MLA from Pilibhit and had also served as a minister in the Mayawati government.
The fresh round of inductions is being seen as a strategic move by the Samajwadi Party to strengthen its social and political base as the battle for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections begins to take shape.
Also Read: Yogi Adityanath's transformative vision: From Uttar Pradesh's dark past to economic powerhouse
Also Read: Yogi Adityanath's special message to students: 'Reduce screentime, devote time to sports'
