Bareilly, June 22 (IANS) Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, National President of the All India Muslim Jamaat, has spoken about the letter he wrote to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav. He stated that since Muslims constitute around 22 per cent of Uttar Pradesh’s population, the community considers its claim to the Chief Minister’s post to be strong.

Speaking to IANS, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi said: “I have written a letter to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. In it, I have presented my views regarding the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.”

Razvi added: “I specifically reminded him of the sentiments of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh and pointed out that Muslims make up 22 per cent of the state’s population, whereas the Yadav community accounts for about 7 per cent. The largest share belongs to Muslims. Muslims helped make his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Chief Minister several times. They also helped Akhilesh Yadav become Chief Minister. Muslims played a key role in electing members of his family — his brother, uncle, wife, and nephew — to the State Assembly and Parliament.”

He further said: “In this way, Muslims have supported and favoured the entire Yadav family. Akhilesh Yadav’s family owes a great deal to the Muslim community. Therefore, through my letter, I have demanded that a Muslim be declared the Chief Ministerial face for the 2027 elections.”

Razvi demanded that Akhilesh Yadav publicly announce that he himself will not be the next Chief Minister and that a Muslim leader will be made Chief Minister instead. He said SP should nominate a Muslim from within its own party as the Chief Ministerial candidate and contest the election under that person’s leadership.

“If that happens, Muslims will vote for the Samajwadi Party in large numbers in the 2027 elections,” he said.

Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi also warned that if such an announcement is not made, the party should not expect the same level of support from Muslims.

“The enthusiasm and commitment with which Muslims supported the Samajwadi Party in the 2022 elections will not be seen in 2027,” he said.

Sufi Kashish Warsi, National President of the Indian Sufi Foundation, supported the demand made by Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi for a Muslim chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh and urged political parties to provide meaningful representation to the Muslim community.

Speaking to IANS, Sufi Kashish Warsi said: “I am not surprised by Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi’s demand; rather, I am saddened by the fate of Muslims. Political parties that use Muslims like something that is discarded after use in politics should give them proper representation. If the Samajwadi Party truly cares about Muslims, it should prove it this time. I appeal to the SP leadership to show generosity and nominate a Muslim man or woman as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the community that contributes 22 per cent of its votes. This demand has also been raised by Asaduddin Owaisi.”

–IANS

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