Stiff resistance offered by Muslim MLAs in the Samajwadi Party seems to have stalled the return of former SP leader Mohammed Azam Khan to the party — for the time being at least.
According to sources, the Muslim MLAs in the party are strongly opposed to the return of Mr Azam Khan and have even informed the party leadership about their views in this regard.
“Azam Khan has spoken ill of the party leadership and even tried to defeat party candidates in the last Lok Sabha elections. He should realise that he is not indispensable and the party can survive without him. He may have been termed as a Muslim leader by the media but his behaviour towards his Muslim colleagues is rather deplorable,” said a senior Muslim MLA in the SP. Mr Azam Khan, who was shown the door from the party in May 2009 after he bitterly opposed Ms Jaya Prada’s candidature from Rampur and used unprintable words against her, had declared that he would return to the Samajwadi Party only if Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav apologised to Muslims for his friendship with Mr Kalyan Singh.
The Samajwadi leaders feel that Mr Azam Khan merely used the Kalyan Singh issue to cover up for his war with Mr Amar Singh and Ms Jaya Prada.
The feeling was further strengthened when, earlier this month, Mr Yadav publicly apologised to Muslims for his alliance with the former BJP leader, Mr Azam Khan said that the apology had come too late.
A senior Samajwadi leader said, “It would have been more gracious if Azam Khan has offered to return to the party after Mr Yadav apologised. If he thinks that we will go down on our knees to get him back, he is sadly mistaken. It is Mulayam Singh Yadav — and not Azam Khan — who has a base among Muslims.”