LUCKNOW: After gaining the support of Shivpal Yadav of Pragatisheel Smajawadi Party–Lohia (PSPL) and Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam, Samajwadi Party stalwart and MLA from Rampur Azam Khan got a further boost from an unexpected quarter on Thursday when Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and former UP CM Mayawati termed his incarceration unjustified.
The BSP chief also attacked the ruling BJP by claiming that it was targeting SC, tribal and Muslims in states ruled by it.
In all, 88 different cases including for theft, intimidation, illegal occupation of land, extortion, land grabbing and forgery have been registered against Azam Khan and he has secured bail in 87 of them.
Mayawati's support for Azam Khan left political circles abuzz with the prospect of a realignment of political forces.
"In UP and other BJP ruled states too, just like the Congress, the poor, SC, tribal and Muslims are being harassed and they have to face atrocities, which is very sad. The BJP is ignoring the issues related to others. In this reference, hateful and terroristic action by the UP government against its opponents and keeping senior MLA Mohammad Azam Khan in jail for about two-and-a-half years is an issue of discussion. It is justice being gagged in the eyes of common people," the BSP chief posted on twitter.
"At the same time, the manner in which the migrants and working class of the society are being harassed in the name of encroachment and they are being stripped of their livelihood in many states of the country is a matter of great concern," she added.
Significantly, a few days ago, a Congress leader had also put up hoardings in Prayagraj 'welcoming" Azam Khan to the party. However, the Congress officially denied any such development and said that it was up to Azam Khan to decide where he will go.
Before this, Congress leader Achraya Pramod Krishnam and PSPL chief Shivpal Yadav had met Azam Khan in Sitapur jail.
Meanwhile, despite SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's repeated assurances of support to him, Azam Khan had refused to meet an SP delegation led by MLA Ravidas Mehrotra in Sitapur jail recently.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a reply to the plea filed by Khan over the delay in the hearing of his bail application in a land grabbing case. A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao, BR Gavai and AS Bopanna had asked the state government to file its reply in the case posting it for next hearing on Tuesday.