Saharanpur, August 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Congress leader and Saharanpur Lok Sabha MP Imran Masood suffered a political setback on Thursday after his son-in-law, Shayan Masood, quit the party and joined the Samajwadi Party (SP).
Shayan formally joined the SP in Lucknow in the presence of party president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. At a programme held at the SP office, Yadav welcomed him by draping the party’s red-and-green scarf around him and inducting him into the organisation. Photographs and videos of the event subsequently circulated on social media.
The development comes amid speculation over the political plans of the Masood family ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Imran Masood had recently said at a press conference that no member of his family would contest the forthcoming Assembly polls. His statement was followed by growing speculation about Shayan Masood’s political plans and the possibility of his leaving the Congress.
The speculation ended with Shayan’s formal induction into the SP. He reached Lucknow along with his father, Shajaan Masood, before joining the party in the presence of Akhilesh Yadav.
Shayan is the grandson of late Qazi Rasheed Masood, a former Union Minister and prominent political figure from Saharanpur. Qazi Rasheed Masood was Imran Masood’s uncle, making Shayan part of the politically influential Masood family, which has maintained a significant presence in western Uttar Pradesh politics.
His move to the SP has triggered speculation about his electoral ambitions and whether the party could field him in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The induction could also influence political equations in Saharanpur and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh, where the Masood family has considerable political influence. The SP’s decision on Shayan’s possible electoral role is likely to become clearer as preparations for the Assembly polls gather pace.
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