Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday met party General Secretary and founding member Azam Khan at Rampur jail in Uttar Pradesh and asserted that the veteran leader would continue to remain an important figure in the party, IANS reported.

Source: IANS via The Freedom Press

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav said: "I am returning after meeting the respected Azam Khan Sahib. Azam was, Azam is, and Azam will remain. No family has faced as much injustice as his family. No political family has faced as much injustice as the family of the respected Azam Khan Sahib."

He alleged that false cases had been filed against Azam Khan and that he had spent several years in jail. "False cases do not have the power to keep someone imprisoned forever. It may take time, and there may be some delay, but false cases do not have the power to keep the truth imprisoned," he said. These are the SP chief's allegations; the BJP has previously rejected such claims.

Asked about the discussions during the meeting, he said they had held a detailed conversation about the upcoming elections. "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," he said, reiterating that the Samajwadi Party's goal is to defeat the BJP in the 2027 Assembly elections.

Ahead of the visit, SP leader Fakhrul Hasan Chand told ANI that Yadav would meet Azam Khan in jail to enquire about his health after Khan's wife, Tanzeen Fatima, informed him that his health was not good, and would also meet the family at their residence. Chand alleged that the BJP had filed fabricated cases against Khan — an allegation the BJP denies.

Source: ANI via Daily Prabhat

Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar criticised the planned meeting, calling it an election-related exercise aimed at securing Muslim votes. "They are going today just to create an election gimmick. They are trying to secure Muslim votes with the help of Azam Khan," Rajbhar said, according to ANI. Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi separately alleged, in remarks reported by IANS, that the visit was aimed at regaining Muslim voters' trust ahead of the Assembly elections.