The Congress party in Uttar Pradesh has suffered a major political setback ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Senior party leader and former minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui has resigned along with dozens of his supporters. Siddiqui was serving as the Provincial President of Congress in western Uttar Pradesh. Along with him, around 72 leaders have quit the party, including nearly two dozen former MLAs.
Why did Siddiqui resign?
Sources say Siddiqui had been unhappy for some time over several issues. It is being claimed that he did not receive proper respect within the party and that his political experience was not used effectively. There were also reports that he had earlier expressed dissatisfaction over not being nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
According to party sources, during Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to Rae Bareli, Naseemuddin Siddiqui was not allowed to meet him.
Possibility of return to BSP
Sources also suggest that Siddiqui may return to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Before joining Congress, he was considered a strong leader in BSP and had served as a cabinet minister in the Mayawati government. Naseemuddin Siddiqui was born on June 4, 1959. He became an MLA for the first time in 1991. He was expelled from the BSP on May 10, 2017, for alleged anti-party activities following the party’s poor performance in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
He later joined Congress on February 22, along with thousands of supporters, at the party’s Delhi office. In Congress, he was projected as a prominent Muslim leader in Uttar Pradesh.