Ajit Pawar's NCP invites Abu Asim Azmi to join party

The offer also comes more than six months after several properties in Varanasi and bank deposits worth around ₹150 crore were attached by the IT department

MUMBAI: In a major turn of events, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has sent feelers to Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abu Asim Azmi to join the party. Azmi, who is known as an outspoken Muslim leader, has been heading the SP in Maharashtra for the last few decades. He is yet to respond to the offer, it is learnt.

Mumbai, India - July 21, 2022: Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi interacts with his party workers while protesting against inflation at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

The development assumes significance against the backdrop of the Lok Sabha elections, especially the Mumbai North East constituency where Azmi can play an important role. He is a three-term MLA from the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar assembly segment which falls under Mumbai North East constituency. His induction into the NCP could help the BJP’s candidate Mihir Kotecha, who is facing a tough fight against Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee Sanjay Dina Patil in the constituency that is spread in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai.

The offer also comes more than six months after several properties in Varanasi and bank deposits worth around ₹150 crore were attached by the income tax (IT) department as part of its probe against Azmi and his alleged associates in October last year.

NCP insiders said that party national vice-president Praful Patel had already held a meeting with Azmi, where he made him an offer to join the party. “We want to strengthen our party in Mumbai and around and Azmi’s presence will help the party grow in the city and other parts of the state,” said a NCP leader.

NCP’s offer to Azmi is in line with the Ajit Pawar-led party’s plan to get minority leaders from the opposition parties. It is said that the minority leaders who cannot be inducted into the BJP for obvious political reasons but are willing to hop onto the ruling side are being taken in the NCP, which keeps maintaining that it believes in secularism.

On Monday, the NCP inducted Congress leader and son-in-law of former chief minister Mushtaq Antulay. Before him, former Congress minister Baba Siddique joined the party. His son and MLA Zeeshan is also expected to follow in the footsteps of his father ahead of the state assembly polls.

People close to Azmi rejected any such possibility. “It is not possible. He will not join the NCP,” said one of his close aides.

It is said that SP MLA Rais Shaikh is also in touch with top NCP leaders. He sent his resignation as MLA to party on Saturday but chose to withdraw it a day later. For the same reason, Azmi is said to be upset with him and the Shaikh is said to be trying for a patch up.