Azam Khan’s silence on Akhilesh raises questions about SP equation

Rampur: For the first time since walking free after nearly two years in jail, senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan faced the media on Wednesday. But instead of signalling a reunion with party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Khan chose silence and ambiguity — avoiding direct answers on his ties with the SP president and his political future.

His evasive remarks have triggered fresh speculation about whether the rift between the two leaders has really healed.

Asked if Akhilesh had called him after his release, Khan smiled and replied, “Do not try to create fire. Believe me, the only phone number I remembered in the world was my wife’s. Now I have even forgotten that. After spending five years in jail, how can a person even use a mobile?” The quip, characteristic of Khan’s sharp tongue, was seen as a deliberate attempt to sidestep the question.

On whether senior SP leaders would meet him, Khan downplayed his stature. “I am not a big leader. I am a big servant, a khadim,” he said. When reminded of Akhilesh Yadav’s public assurance that an SP government in 2027 would withdraw all cases against him, Khan’s response was equally guarded: “Perhaps there may be no need for that. As for 2027, I cannot make any predictions.”

Political observers say Khan’s restraint is telling. “His silence reflects lingering distrust with the SP leadership,” said political analyst Manoj Bhadra. “He feels isolated and does not want to commit himself to Akhilesh publicly.” Another analyst, Rajendra Kumar, noted, “By avoiding direct answers, Khan has left the door open — he is testing the waters, watching if the SP still values him or sidelines him further.”

Khan’s calibrated comments contrast sharply with the enthusiastic response of thousands of supporters who turned up in Rampur on Tuesday evening to welcome him home.