2027 poll preparation: Akhilesh Yadav to meet Azam Khan in Rampur jail today

Party sources see the meeting as a clear signal that Khan remains a key figure and has not been sidelined, countering opposition claims

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is scheduled to visit senior leader and former Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan at Rampur District Jail on Thursday, October 22, and later meet his family. The visit bears significance in a region with a sizeable Muslim population and comes as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections.

Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan. (HT File Photo)

Party sources see the meeting as a clear signal that Khan remains a key figure and has not been sidelined, countering opposition claims. It follows All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s recent visit to Rampur, underscoring competitive outreach in western Uttar Pradesh.

Discussions between Yadav and Khan are expected to cover electoral strategy, particularly in the Moradabad division where Azam Khan has long held influence, along with potential candidates and alliance possibilities.

Azam Khan has been lodged in Rampur District Jail since November 17, 2025, after a special MP/MLA court convicted him and his son Abdullah Azam Khan in a 2019 dual PAN card forgery case involving cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Both initially received seven-year sentences; however, a sessions court later enhanced Azam Khan’s term to 10 years. Over 110 cases have been registered against him over the years, with convictions in around eight.

In May 2026, he was also sentenced to two years in a 2019 case over “tankhaiyya” remarks against officials. A fresh FIR based on an Enforcement Directorate complaint over alleged financial irregularities at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, which he founded, was registered in mid-October.

Despite prolonged incarceration, Azam Khan’s influence has persisted. During the 2022 Assembly elections, the SP-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance performed strongly in western UP, with the SP winning 17 of 27 seats in the Moradabad division, including multiple seats in Rampur, Sambhal, Moradabad and adjoining districts. Akhilesh had given weight to Azam Khan’s input on ticket distribution at the time.

Sources indicate that Thursday’s meeting could address candidate selection, ongoing party surveys, and issues the SP may highlight, such as the Jauhar University matter and the Sambhal violence linked to a temple-mosque dispute. Alliance talks, particularly with the Congress and seat-sharing challenges in western UP, may also be discussed.

The visit is expected to reinforce the SP’s organisational presence and message of continuity in a competitive political landscape with less than a few months remaining for the 2027 UP assembly polls.