Lucknow: The Congress party in Uttar Pradesh has suffered a fresh political blow ahead of the Assembly elections, as senior leader and former minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui has resigned from the party along with a large group of his supporters, according to media reports.
Siddiqui, who was holding a key organisational role in western Uttar Pradesh, is said to have stepped down after growing dissatisfaction within the party. Along with him, around 70 leaders have reportedly quit Congress, including several former MLAs, dealing a setback to the party’s already fragile structure in the state.
Media reports suggest that Siddiqui had been unhappy for quite some time over his position and treatment within the party. He is believed to have felt that his long political experience was being ignored and that he was not given the respect he deserved as a senior leader. There were also murmurs within political circles that he was disappointed over not being considered for a Rajya Sabha nomination.
Adding to the discontent, Siddiqui was reportedly unable to meet Rahul Gandhi during his recent visit to Rae Bareli, which further deepened the rift. Party insiders say this incident left him feeling sidelined at a crucial moment.
Speculation is now rife that Siddiqui may return to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), where he once held considerable influence. Before joining Congress, he was regarded as a strong BSP face and had served as a cabinet minister in the Mayawati-led government.
Naseemuddin Siddiqui entered active politics in the early 1990s and became an MLA for the first time in 1991. He was removed from the BSP in 2017 following the party’s poor performance in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. After his exit, he joined Congress with much fanfare, bringing along a large number of supporters and was projected as a prominent minority leader in the state.
