Owaisi to address rallies in Rampur, Kairana and Meerut

AIMIM spokesperson Shadab Chauhan says these events form part of the party’s outreach ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) national president Asaduddin Owaisi will address public meetings in key western Uttar Pradesh constituencies in the coming weeks, focusing on themes of equality and representation.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen national president Asaduddin Owaisi . (HT file)

After programmes already scheduled through Azamgarh on October 11, Owaisi is set to speak in Rampur on October 18, Kairana on October 25, and Meerut on November 14. AIMIM spokesperson Shadab Chauhan informed that these events form part of the party’s outreach ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, as the party eyes a broader presence in the state.

Rampur and Kairana have long been regarded as Samajwadi Party (SP) strongholds, particularly in Muslim-majority pockets. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, SP’s Mohibbullah won Rampur with 4,81,503 votes (about 50 per cent share) and a margin of 87,434 over the BJP candidate; turnout was around 56 per cent. The Rampur Assembly seat, historically dominated by SP leader Azam Khan, saw him win in 2022 with 1,31,225 votes (nearly 60 per cent) and a margin of over 55,000, though the BJP later captured it in a bypoll.

Kairana followed a similar pattern. SP’s Iqra Choudhary secured the Lok Sabha seat in 2024 with 5,28,013 votes (roughly 49 per cent) and a margin of 69,116 over the BJP; turnout exceeded 62 per cent. In the 2022 Assembly election, SP’s Nahid Hasan retained the Kairana seat with 1,31,035 votes (about 54 per cent) and a margin of nearly 26,000.

Meerut presents a more mixed picture. While SP’s Rafiq Ansari held the Meerut Assembly seat in 2022 with 1,06,395 votes (around 53 per cent) and a margin of over 26,000, the BJP’s Arun Govil won the Lok Sabha constituency in 2024 by a narrow margin of 10,585 votes (5,46,469 to SP’s 5,35,884), with turnout near 59 per cent. The constituency includes both SP-leaning urban segments and competitive areas.