Mumbai: (Kamar Ansari)The internal rift within the Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra has now come out in the open. Maharashtra Samajwadi Party President Abu Asim Azmi, in an interview to a private YouTube channel, launched a scathing attack on party MLA from Bhiwandi, Rais Shaikh. Azmi claimed that he had “picked Rais Shaikh up from the footpath and made him an MLA on a Samajwadi Party seat,” but alleged that Shaikh has never worked for the welfare or strengthening of the party.

Abu Asim Azmi accused Rais Shaikh of continuously working against the Samajwadi Party and said that he should resign from the party on moral grounds. According to Azmi, Rais Shaikh personally conducted interviews of candidates for the Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation and Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections and played a key role in ticket distribution. He further alleged that Congress candidates were deliberately fielded against Samajwadi Party candidates in order to defeat them.

Azmi stated that when the party refused to give a ticket to Rais Shaikh’s brother, Shaikh, out of resentment, encouraged his supporters to contest elections on Congress tickets against Samajwadi Party candidates. He also accused Rais Shaikh of promoting dynastic politics, which the party strongly opposed, leading to the denial of tickets.

On the other hand, Rais Shaikh has so far failed to clearly explain where his political loyalties lie. While Congress candidates are reportedly contesting elections with his support, he has not formally resigned from the Samajwadi Party. Abu Asim Azmi said that Rais Shaikh’s “double-faced politics” would soon be exposed before the public. He also hinted at strict action against Shaikh after the municipal corporation elections.

Responding to the allegations, Rais Shaikh claimed that several political parties are using his photographs without his consent to mislead voters and gain electoral advantage. He maintained that he was not involved in any decision related to ticket distribution within the Samajwadi Party and that he had been sidelined by the party much earlier. According to Shaikh, the candidates contesting on Congress tickets have been given tickets by the Congress party itself, and he has no connection with those decisions.

Amid this political tug-of-war, Muslim voters associated with the Samajwadi Party find themselves in a state of confusion. They are unsure whether to support Congress candidates allegedly backed by Rais Shaikh or to vote for official Samajwadi Party candidates, as it remains unclear who is aligned with whom in this election.

Sadanand Date took over as DGP of Mumbai Maharashtra from his counterpart Rashmi Shukla. After the retirement of Rashmi Shukla, the state government had recommended the names of senior IPS officers including Date, after which Date was made a contender for the post of DGP. Sadanand Date has also rendered excellent service as the head of the National Security Agency NIA. He has played an important role in the investigation of the Delhi Red Fort bomb blast, Pahalgam attack and the extradition of the main accused of Mumbai attacks, Tahur Hussain Rana. In 92% of the cases registered by the NIA, the accused have been convicted. Date was first transferred to the Maharashtra cadre and then he was appointed as Rashmi Shukla’s successor today. Other issues including administration in Maharashtra are also a big challenge for Date. Date is skilled in his work. He has previously worked in many sensitive places. Date has also rendered good service as the head of Maharashtra ATS. Apart from this, he also had the honor of being elected the first Police Commissioner of Mira Bhayandar Commissionerate. Sadanand Date is considered an honest and dutiful officer. First, he met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and then took charge of his post. Date is a 1990 batch IPS officer of Maharashtra cadre.

In the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has appealed to the claimants deprived of party tickets that if for some reason any candidate has not got a party ticket, the party leadership will provide them with an opportunity in the future, but in this election, they should show unity with the Samajwadi Party candidates for the problems and rights of the people. He said that in the BMC elections, the Samajwadi Party had decided to field candidates on 150 seats so that the socialist ideology would be promoted. The candidates on the party ticket were provided with tickets and the candidates also filed their candidatures, but unfortunately, many claimants did not get tickets because there were many difficulties in the distribution of tickets. Thank you to everyone for contesting elections on the party ticket in Mumbai and promoting the party’s ideology. Candidates were announced in several wards in a phased manner and 150 candidates have been fielded for the election phase. Abu Asim Azmi said that I appeal to all the workers and contenders to work for the party candidate instead of getting angry over the deprivation of the ticket because it is our responsibility to strengthen the party and promote the ideology of the Samajwadi Party. The candidates who have not been given a chance this time should not be unhappy. The election is not just for one candidate but for the ideology of the party. Whoever is given the ticket, he is the face and candidate of the Samajwadi Party. Therefore, the party should support the candidate and strengthen the party. It is a victory of unity. You will all work for the Samajwadi Party to raise your voice on the problems of the citizens and I am sure that the Samajwadi Party will make history this time.