New Delhi, September 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Maulana Sajid Rashidi on Tuesday urged Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav to declare Muslim candidates for the post of Chief Minister ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Rashidi’s remarks came in response to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s recent appeal for opposition parties to join hands ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls. Owaisi has said AIMIM will decide on its alliance plans by October 2 and has called for cooperation among parties seeking to prevent the BJP from returning to power in the state.
Speaking to IANS, Rashidi questioned Owaisi’s appeal and said that political parties should not seek Muslim votes merely by framing elections around defeating the BJP.
“Whichever party claims it wants to defeat the BJP is most probably in cahoots with them,” Rashidi alleged.
He said Muslims should not be portrayed as being responsible for defeating any particular political party.
“You can grow your party from any part of the country; you can fight elections from any part of the country, but you can’t instigate Muslims by saying we need to defeat the BJP,” he said.
Rashidi also questioned why Muslims should seek to defeat the BJP, referring to what he described as welfare measures for Muslim children in Uttar Pradesh.
“This is the same BJP which has worked for the upliftment of Muslim children in Uttar Pradesh. So why would Muslims jeopardise that? What issues do we have with the BJP that we should defeat them?” he asked.
He also criticised the Congress and SP over their record concerning the Muslim community, questioning what the parties had delivered when they were in power.
“For sixty-five years Congress garnered Muslims’ votes… then it said Muslims of the country are living in worse conditions than Dalits,” he alleged.
Targeting the SP, Rashidi alleged that the party sought Muslim votes but subsequently labelled members of the community as BJP agents.
He cited an instance involving Akhilesh Yadav and a Muslim journalist, claiming that Yadav had called the journalist a BJP agent during a press conference because he was a Muslim and wore Ray-Ban glasses.
Rashidi further alleged that Congress similarly viewed Muslims who dressed well, drove expensive cars or used branded accessories as BJP supporters.
“That is why Muslims should be very selective and careful about whom they vote for in 2027 so that we can stand for our rights,” he said.
Addressing Owaisi directly, Rashidi questioned whether the AIMIM chief would support a Muslim candidate for the Chief Minister’s post.
“Owaisi claimed the prime minister will be a Muslim, but would he declare a Muslim candidate for chief minister? I want to say the same thing to Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav; they should declare Muslim CM candidates in the upcoming elections,” he said.
Rashidi further said that if Rahul Gandhi selected Muslim candidates for the upcoming elections, he would support the Congress over the SP.
“I can assure that if Rahul Gandhi selects Muslim candidates for the upcoming elections, all our votes shall go to Congress and none to Samajwadi Party,” he said.
Owaisi had said on Monday that AIMIM would announce its alliance decision for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections by October 2. He also said his party was prepared to contest the polls and had invited opposition parties to consider working together.
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