Rampur: Firebrand Samajwadi party leader Azam Khan on Tuesday courted controversy while taking a dig at the rebel Congress leader Nawab Kazim Ali Khan alias Naveed Mian who has hinted at tacit support to the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha by-poll on Rampur seat in Uttar Pradesh. The Lok Sabha by-poll on the seat is scheduled for June 23.
“Those who call themselves children of Nawab, get 3000 votes. SP has fielded Azam's close aide Asim Raja in the election. There are more eunuchs in Rampur than this. This establishes that they didn't get the votes of even the eunuchs. But they are Nawabs,” Azam said while addressing a rally in Rampur to an uproar by the people. “He is Nawab because the courtesan would dance in front of him all night. And he will give advice to the people of Rampur huh! They are your enemies,” he added.
Also read: Rampur Bypolls: Miffed Congress leader to fight as independent to defeat 'SP and Azam'
Reacting to Kazim Ali Khan's tacit support to the BJP, Azam Khan said, “Votes are sought for palm (Congress) and lotus (BJP) at the same time. Father goes for palm and son for lotus. This is self-explanatory. I won't comment on the family.” Naveed Mian recently told ETV Bharat in an interview that he will “oppose Azam Khan and Samajwadi Party” in the upcoming Lok Sabha by-poll after the Congress decided against fielding a candidate in the election.
Azam Khan, who was released on bail after 27 months in jail, said, “They have jailed me for hen dacoity not theft of hens. They lowered my status. It would have been good had they booked me for theft of Qutub Minar and Taj Mahal,” in a dig at the Yogi Adityanath government. He said that the BJP government had projected him as a mafia, but the Supreme Court “has shown a mirror to those who call him so.” “The judge said that 1 or 2 cases can be true, but 90 cases cannot be true,” he added.
