New Delhi: The Congress is growing in western Uttar Pradesh in the last lap before the 2027 assembly polls in the state. Former Member of Parliament Amir Alam Khan and his son, former state legislator Nawazish Alam Khan, joined the Congress Wednesday, along with a group of leaders and local functionaries associated with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Azad Samaj Party (ASP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).
The induction is significant for Congress because Amir Alam has spent decades in the Muzaffarnagar-Shamli belt, moving through several political formations. He has represented Thana Bhawan in the assembly, Kairana in the Lok Sabha, and also served in the Rajya Sabha. His son Nawazish Alam was elected to the assembly from Budhana on a Samajwadi Party ticket in 2012.
The two had joined the Azad Samaj Party (ASP) and quit earlier this month.
Their induction came alongside a larger group of people whose names and previous political affiliations were announced at a press conference Wednesday, including functionaries associated with the AIMIM, AAP and RLD.
The list included Akash Lodhi, introduced as AIMIM’s Uttar Pradesh Scheduled Castes Cell president, and Dr TP Singh, described as a former AIMIM state general secretary. AAP’s Hemant, Jitendra and Sanjay Neem, and RLD’s national media in-charge Surendra Sharma as well as Meerut district general secretary Kalwa Qureshi were also among those named.
Former Indian Medical Council Uttar Pradesh chairman Dr Mohammad Akram, along with former pradhans, district panchayat members, lawyers, doctors and other local workers, also joined the Congress.
The Congress has been carrying out a series of such inductions in recent months as it attempts to expand its political network ahead of the 2027 polls. Earlier this month, AIMIM national spokesperson Syed Asim Waqar joined the party. Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of the Legislative Council Hira Thakur also joined Congress this month, while the party has separately inducted former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and AAP functionaries.
The recruitment drive is being overseen by Congress’ Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, appointed to the post in June after serving as the party’s Scheduled Caste department chief. At a press conference on Wednesday, Gautam linked the influx to the Congress’ pitch around social justice and the Constitution.
“BJP government policies are affecting social justice and the democratic system. People are joining the Congress over issues of the Constitution and social justice, they are inspired by Rahul ji,” Gautam said.
The Congress has struggled to maintain an independent organisational base in western Uttar Pradesh as the region’s politics has been dominated by the BJP, SP, BSP and RLD at different points. The latest inductions give the party leaders and workers with existing local political networks as it tries to build its organisation ahead of the Assembly polls.
That exercise will also have a bearing on the Congress relationship with the Samajwadi Party (SP). The two parties contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election together in Uttar Pradesh, with the SP winning 37 seats and Congress six. The BJP won 33. The two parties are expected to remain allies, but the seat-sharing arrangement has not been finalised. Gautam has repeatedly stressed that the party wants “equality and respect” in the alliance.
“In a month, our organisational committees and a public manifesto will be ready. Soon after that, the top alliance leadership will sit together to discuss seat sharing for the Uttar Pradesh elections. We want equality and respect in the alliance, which is the least we will settle for,” he had said in July. He has also said Congress is preparing its organisation across all 403 Assembly seats while remaining open to an alliance with the SP.
Those joining the Congress said they had decided to do so after being influenced by party leader Rahul Gandhi, also crediting Gautam and Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai.
“I am joining the party today because I have been inspired by them. I have come with an open heart and with honesty,” Alam said.
“I don’t say that I am a very big man. But one thing is certain—people have respect for me in their hearts. People love me and have affection for me,” he added.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
Also Read: ‘Yogi’s law & order’ as centerpiece, RSS steps up ground work for UP polls in tandem with BJP