Lucknow: In a move that has set Uttar Pradesh’s political corridors buzzing, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav visited senior party leader Azam Khan at the Rampur district jail yesterday and held a long discussion on the party’s strategy for the 2027 Assembly elections. It was the first meeting between the two leaders in nearly a year, and both its timing and its optics were impossible to miss.
Khan, a founding member of the Samajwadi Party and a 10-time MLA from Rampur Sadar, has been lodged in the Rampur jail since November last year. The two leaders had last met in Lucknow on November 7, just ten days before Khan was sent to jail. The gap between then and now has been filled with courtrooms, cases and political speculation, which is why yesterday’s visit is being read as far more than a courtesy call.
“Azam was, Azam is, and Azam will remain”
Emerging from the jail, Akhilesh struck an emotional chord. “I have just met respected Azam Khan. Azam was, Azam is, and Azam will remain,” he told reporters, adding that his bond with Rampur was not merely political but emotional. “These false cases do not have the power to keep him imprisoned forever,” he said. “Justice might be delayed, but the truth cannot remain confined indefinitely.”
The SP chief alleged that no political family had faced as much injustice as Khan’s, and accused the ruling BJP of pursuing Khan and his family through a slew of cases.
2027 on the table
What gives the meeting its political weight is what was discussed inside. Akhilesh said he and Khan had held a detailed discussion on the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, including the party’s alliance strategy.
“We had a lengthy discussion. A list of our alliance partners regarding the elections has been prepared, and I have brought that list with me after discussing it with him,” Akhilesh said. He reiterated that the Samajwadi Party’s central objective was to defeat the BJP in 2027, asserting that every party worker was ready to work towards that goal.
- The gap: nearly 11 months since the two leaders last met in person.
- The agenda: 2027 Assembly polls, alliance partners and ticket distribution in western UP.
- The message: the SP stands with its most prominent Muslim face, and by extension with its Muslim voter base.
- The reaction: BJP leaders have dismissed the visit as an election gimmick.
Why this meeting matters
Azam Khan is not just another party leader in jail. He is the most prominent Muslim face of the Samajwadi Party and wields considerable influence across western Uttar Pradesh and the Rohilkhand region, where Muslim voters form a decisive bloc in dozens of constituencies. In Rampur itself, the community accounts for over half the electorate.
There had also been discontent in Khan’s camp over the perception that the party was not standing firmly enough behind him. The public embrace, in that sense, sends a message inwards as much as outwards: that the SP’s Muslim leadership remains central to its plans.
After the jail meeting, Akhilesh also visited Khan’s residence to meet his wife, Tazeen Fatma, and other family members, underlining the personal dimension of the visit.
BJP hits back
The BJP was quick to dismiss the visit. Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar called it an “election gimmick” designed to secure Muslim votes.
BJP leader Narendra Kashyap termed it “political opportunism,” questioning the efficacy of strategising with an incarcerated leader facing nearly 100 criminal cases and alleging that Akhilesh was merely exploiting Khan’s Muslim identity.
For his part, Akhilesh took a swipe at the government over the situation in Rampur, saying the BJP was disconnected from education and knowledge and that its leaders would have to face the consequences of their actions.
What to watch next
The real test of yesterday’s meeting will lie in the decisions that follow: candidate selection, regional responsibilities and the role Khan’s network is given in shaping the SP’s campaign in western UP. Whether the visit translates into a broader political understanding will become clearer as the party firms up its ticket strategy in the coming months.
For now, one thing is certain. With roughly a year to go before the next big battle for Lucknow, both sides have begun their moves. And Azam Khan, even from inside a jail, remains very much in the game.
FAQs
When did Akhilesh Yadav meet Azam Khan?
Akhilesh Yadav met Azam Khan at the Rampur district jail on Thursday, October 22. It was their first meeting in nearly a year.
What was discussed in the meeting?
According to Akhilesh, they held a detailed discussion on the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, including a prepared list of alliance partners.
How long has Azam Khan been in jail?
Azam Khan has been lodged in Rampur jail since November last year, following a conviction in a forgery case. He is a 10-time MLA from Rampur Sadar and a former Cabinet minister.
What did the BJP say about the visit?
UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar called it an “election gimmick” to secure Muslim votes, while BJP leader Narendra Kashyap termed it “political opportunism.”
Why is the meeting politically significant?
Azam Khan is the Samajwadi Party’s most prominent Muslim face with deep influence in western UP. The visit comes with the 2027 polls in sight and signals the party’s renewed outreach to its core voter base.
