SP in a fix over Muslim mascot,Azam Khan can wait for now

“With the exit of Amar Singh,there is no apparent hindrance for Azam Khan’s return to the party,but there is no clamour for it since Muslim legislators are against it,” said a senior SP leader close to the first family of the party. He said Muslim MLAs in SP feel Khan’s return could undermine their clout.

“The party must learn from the Amar Singh episode and should not keep all its eggs in one basket. Be it Amar Singh or Azam Khan,none is indispensable for the party,” said Shahid Manzoor,who led the campaign against the re-entry of Azam Khan.

“Right now,Azam Khan is not our priority. We wish to focus on the issues of the Muslim community and not on an individual. There is a strong view in the party that we should concentrate on developing collective leadership of the Muslims instead of courting Azam Khan,” said Ujjawal Raman Singh,former cabinet minister,who is also the son of Reoti Raman Singh,SP MP from Allahabad.

“Mulayam Singh Yadav is seized of the issue of Azam Khan and only he is competent to speak on this issue,” said SP’s national spokesman Mohan Singh.