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Imran Masood likely to contest Lok Sabha polls from West U.P. on RLD ticket
Imran Masood, a prominent Muslim leader from Saharanpur district in Western Uttar Pradesh, faced expulsion from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on August 29 due to charges of indiscipline and anti-party activities.
LUCKNOW Former MLA Imran Masood is set to enter the race for the 2024 Lok Sabha election as a candidate supported by the INDIA alliance from a constituency in Western Uttar Pradesh.
Masood, a prominent Muslim leader from Saharanpur district in Western Uttar Pradesh, faced expulsion from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on August 29 due to charges of indiscipline and anti-party activities. This decision followed his praise for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, sparking speculation about his potential return to the Congress.
Now, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), a political party with a strong presence in Western UP, particularly among the Jat community, has extended an invitation to Masood. Acting upon the directive of RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, leaders of his party initiated discussions with Masood, offering him the opportunity to join RLD and contest the Lok Sabha elections from a Western U.P. constituency. With Masood’s involvement, the RLD aims to build a formidable Jat-Muslim vote bank in the region.
Confirming his meeting with RLD leaders, Masood said, “I have convened a gathering of my supporters on September 10 to deliberate on our future political strategy and the possibility of affiliating with a political party. I am committed to participating in the upcoming Lok Sabha election as a candidate of the INDIA alliance.”
Sources have revealed that local Congress leaders engaged with Masood; however, no communication has been received from the party’s top leadership, despite Masood expressing his desire to rejoin the grand old party.
Masood further said, “Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who has founded the Azad Samaj Party (ASP), is also considering joining the INDIA alliance. The ASP holds considerable influence over Dalit community voters in Western Uttar Pradesh. The prospective SP-RLD-Congress-ASP alliance is expected to pose a formidable challenge to the BJP in the Lok Sabha election in Western U.P. I will meet Azad after the September 10 gathering.”
On the issue, RLD secretary Rajkumar Sangwan emphasised that Imran Masood’s family adheres to the ideology of Chaudhary Charan Singh. His inclusion in the RLD will bolster the party’s efforts to foster Hindu-Muslim harmony in Western U.P.
Additionally, the RLD has scheduled a ‘Sadbhawana-Bhaichara’ conference in Meerut on September 16, where Masood is anticipated to share the stage with Jayant Chaudhary.
