New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and former Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan has dismissed the demand to announce a Muslim Deputy Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh as a symbolic, constitutionally meaningless exercise.

In a candid interview with IANS, the veteran politician argued that the position of Deputy CM holds no real authority and therefore does not serve substantive political empowerment for minorities.

Responding to a question on whether SP chief Akhilesh Yadav should promise a Muslim Deputy CM ahead of the next UP Assembly elections 2027, Khan said that the Constitution doesn’t recognise such a post; it’s merely symbolic.

“Even in UP, two Deputy CMs (Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak) exist, but they are powerless; nobody listens to them. Until the Constitution provides for it, the post is meaningless,” he said.

The remarks come at a time when Muslim representation in the INDIA Bloc and within regional parties is under increasing scrutiny.

Khan emphasised that political empowerment must be rooted in structure and law, not symbolic overtures. He reiterated his long-standing position that representation must be meaningful, grounded in policy and authority, not ceremonial positions.

When asked about allegations that Rampur MP Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi deceived multiple women and married several times, Khan responded with characteristic sarcasm.

“Some can’t handle even one; others have many waiting for them; it’s fate. One man once told me his 47th wife had just died. When asked how, he said, ‘Every time I marry, the wife dies in three days’. Another said, ‘I’m not that lucky, one is enough to trouble me’. So, everyone has their own destiny and way of life, who are we to judge?” he said, refusing to comment directly on the charges against Nadvi.

The remark is likely to draw reactions across political circles, given the sensitivity around the issue and ongoing debates over personal laws and gender rights.

While Khan hinted at reduced public activity due to health and prolonged legal battles, he maintained he has not quit politics. “If I had retired, would you still come to see me? You only come to check how much light is left in this lamp. The truth is, keeping it lit is no longer in my hands.”

–IANS

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