Akhilesh meets Azam Khan in Rampur

Rampur: In a significant political development, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met senior party leader and former minister Azam Khan in Rampur on Wednesday, their first meeting since Khan’s release from jail last month.

The two-hour closed-door conversation between the two veterans is being seen as an effort to restore cohesion within the Samajwadi Party’s traditional Muslim-Yadav base, which has shown visible cracks in recent years.

Akhilesh reached Rampur around 12:45 pm by helicopter, where he was personally received by Azam Khan at Jauhar University.

Both leaders then travelled together to Khan’s residence, avoiding the presence of local leaders, including Rampur MP Mohibullah Nadvi, who was reportedly asked to stay back in Bareilly.

The move came after Azam publicly stated that he would meet only Akhilesh and “no one else,” underlining his lingering resentment over being side-lined within the party.

After the meeting, Akhilesh tried to strike an emotional chord, describing Azam Khan as “a senior leader whose aashirwad has always been with us.”

He added, “Azam Khan sahab is the tree of our party. The BJP wants to set a world record by filing cases against the Azam family. This is a big fight, and we will fight it together.”

The statement was a clear attempt to reassure Khan of his importance in the party’s structure and to convey unity ahead of crucial political tests.