Azam Khan meets Raja Bhaiyya

This is the season of changing equations and shifting loyalties within the Samajwadi Party. In an unexpected move on Friday night, senior UP minister Mohd Azam Khan drove to the residence of former minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a. Raja Bhaiyya and the two held a closed door meeting for over an hour. The meeting comes at a time when Mr Khan is said to be angry over the state government’s handling of the Muzaffarnagar riots and Raja Bhaiyya is not too happy with the government that has refused to take him back into the ministry even after he got a clean chit in the DSP murder case. The coming together of these two leaders could spell trouble for chief minister Akhilesh Yadav since both are upset with him. Sources close to Mr Azam Khan said that he had gone to meet Raja Bhaiyya to invite him for a function at the Jauhar University. The minister also asked Raja to visit Muzaffarnagar with him to assuage the feelings of the victims in both the communities. It is significant to note that Mr Azam Khan and Raja Bhaiyya had not been on talking terms since the past six months when the latter was made to resign following his alleged involvement in the murder of Pratapgarh DSP Zia-ul-Haq. It was widely believed that Raja Bhaiyya was shown the door on the insistence of Mr Khan who felt that his continuance in the council of ministers would irk Muslims. When Raja Bhaiyya obtained a clean chit from the CBI in the DSP murder case, it was again reported that Mr Khan was opposed to his return in the ministry. Meanwhile, on September 20, Raja Bhaiyya had hosted a dinner at his residence for about 50 SP legislators. At the dinner meet, the MLAs openly denounced Mr Azam Khan and accused him of playing politics with the Raja. The dinner meet sent clear signals to the party leadership of a revolt brewing within the party on the issue of raja Bhaiyya who continues to wield considerable influence overt he Thakur MLAs. A large section of Muslim legislators who are opposed to Mr Azam Khan are also seen supporting Raja Bhaiyya. Moreover, Raja Bhaiyya was in Delhi earlier this week and it is said that an emissary of BJP president Rajnath Singh had met for the former minister. Raja Bhaiyya has always shared a warm relationship with Mr Rajnath Singh and his affiliation with the Samajwadi Party has not affected their relations. The meeting, expectedly sparked off speculations about the possibility of Raja Bhaiyya, who remains an independent MLA in the state assembly, joining hands with the BJP which would have dealt another major blow to the ruling Samajwadi Party.