Lucknow: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday escalated his criticism of Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, questioning SP’s decision to nominate industrialist Parimal Nathwani to Rajya Sabha and alleging an understanding between SP and BJP.Addressing a public rally in Tanda, Rampur, on Oct 18, Owaisi said SP had fielded a candidate whose family had ties with BJP.Referring to Nathwani, he asked, “His father is with the BJP and his son is with the SP. What kind of relationship is this?” He also cited Nathwani’s public remarks praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arguing that SP was accommodating figures perceived to be close to BJP while labelling AIMIM as BJP’s “B-team”. “Akhilesh Yadav has given a Rajya Sabha ticket to a BJP man and then questions AIMIM’s politics,” Owaisi said, projecting AIMIM as an independent alternative to both BJP and the opposition bloc.Owaisi used the rally to reiterate AIMIM’s pitch for independent Muslim political leadership, urging the community to build its own leadership rather than rely on established political families. “Muslims should become leaders, MLAs and MPs, not just political workers,” he said. He also raised local governance issues, citing concerns over education, healthcare, literacy and drinking water in Rampur, and urged voters to judge govts by improvements in daily life. Looking ahead to the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Owaisi asked party workers to expand AIMIM’s grassroots network across the state. He expressed support for senior SP leader Azam Khan and called for the early release of Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, criticising what he described as selective political activism in cases involving jailed Muslim leaders.
