Political sparring has escalated across Uttar Pradesh as Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief and UP Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar launched a sharp critique against Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav. The confrontation erupted right after the announcement of Akhilesh Yadav’s scheduled trip to Rampur to meet jailed veteran leader Mohammad Azam Khan and his son, Abdullah Azam. While the Samajwadi Party frames the outreach as a show of solidarity with a founding member and his family, political opponents view the move as calculated electoral optics aimed at shoring up core support ahead of upcoming political contests.

OP Rajbhar Calls Jailed Leader Outreach an Election Stunt

Terming the planned jail visit purely opportunistic, Om Prakash Rajbhar alleged that the Samajwadi Party leadership only recalls its senior Muslim leadership when polling dates draw near. Rajbhar remarked that Akhilesh Yadav would not have bothered to visit Rampur had elections not been approaching, asserting that the initiative is an attempt to stem the drift of Muslim voters away from the SP fold. He further claimed that the SP’s leadership remained largely passive during the most challenging periods of Azam Khan’s incarceration, only renewing physical contact now to secure immediate political leverage.

Samajwadi Party’s Regional Calculus in Rampur

From the Samajwadi Party’s perspective, the Rampur visit marks a key organizational priority following a series of high-level consultations, including a recent meeting between Azam Khan’s wife, Tazeen Fatma, and Akhilesh Yadav. Rampur has historically served as the epicenter of Azam Khan’s extensive political influence, but recent electoral setbacks and prolonged legal battles have strained local party machinery. By directly traveling to Rampur, visiting Khan’s residence, and meeting family members, the SP chief seeks to project organizational unity, silence allegations of abandonment, and firmly consolidate the party’s traditional vote base.