Uttar Pradesh: Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan ridiculed people leaving his side to leave the ruling BJP. He said Abdul, referring to the Muslim community, will mop the floor for the BJP after the Rampur assembly bypoll results are declared.
He also said Abdul is no longer with him and has joined hands with the BJP. His media in-charge Fasahat Ali Khan aka Shanu and his supporters joined BJP on Monday.
He was speaking at an election meeting in the Nalapar area of the Rampur Assembly constituency on Monday night. The seat fell vacant after Azam Khan was disqualified after being sentenced to three years imprisonment in a hate speech case. The polls will take place on December 5 and the results will be out on December 8.
"Rampur is going through the worst phase of politics at the moment and is standing at such a point where one mistake of yours will destroy my 50 years of hard work. On December 5, you will have two paths before you. First, elect Asim Raja by giving your vote and choose the path of progress and prosperity or defeat him and get drowned in darkness," said the former minister.
Khan did not take any names at the meeting and said: "All the contractors and the rich could not give an account of their property and so they all left. All those who were traitors have left and now only loyalists are left."
Samajwadi Party (SP) has nominated Azam's confidant Asim Raja while BJP has fielded Akash Saxena.
About people of the Qureshi community being seen on BJP's forums, Khan said: "Those who have 50-50 cases of cow slaughter pending against them are sitting on the BJP's platform today. Where has BJP's love for cows gone? What I have not done for you people, but you cheated by defeating our candidate Asim Raja in the Lok Sabha by-election."
Cautioning the voters against being misled, he said: "A huge conspiracy is going on. You don't know the outcome. What have I not done for you? Don't know how many atrocities I have suffered just for you... Is this my only fault? Can politics be so dirty? The condition is such that I could not prove my innocence in court despite having everything (all evidence). Jail is waiting for me."