Rampur (Uttar Pradesh): Samajwadi party leader Azam Khan sought votes from the people for Samajwadi Party candidate Asim Raja, who is in the fray in the Rampur Assembly by-election, at a public meeting in Khajan Khan square. Speaking at a late-night press conference on Sunday, Khan alleged, "I have come to seek justice from you, I am tired of this life. Many innocents are locked up in jails for a crime they never did. No one has stolen the machine. No one has stolen the furniture. I used to bring truckloads of old junk furniture from Kolkata and get them repaired."
Also read: SP leader Azam Khan accuses Rampur police of harassment
Seeking votes, Khan said, "Do not cheat me this time. I don't even have much time left". Accusing the ruling party, Khan said, "They took away my right to vote. My wife and children wait for the decision of which jail I will have to go to now. I am waiting for the day when I will be exiled from the country. Because that is the only punishment left for me."
Azam Khan said, "I apologise to all those in jail because of me. I apologise to those who have been hurt because of me." The bypoll in Rampur was necessitated after Azam Khan was convicted in a 2019 hate speech case in October, which led to his disqualification from the Assembly. The Samajwadi Party has now fielded Azam Khan's close aide Asim Raja against the BJP candidate.
