By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party received a severe jolt with its senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Rasheed Masood joining Congress on Sunday. Masood is a five-time MP and has also been Vice-Presidential candidate of the third front. He holds considerable sway in Saharanpur belt.
Masood blamed the re-entry and importance given to fire brand leader Azam Khan for his quitting the party. “The party is not being run by Mulayam but Azam Khan who is sidelining other Muslim leaders,” he said.
Qazi Rasheed Masood [TCN Photo]
Masood also announced that he will resign from the Rajya Sabha seat which he won as a SP member. He however hinted that he may soon join the union cabinet and thus made it clear that MP-ship may be again bestowed on him.
Lately Masood was angry over his demotion. He was national general secretary but was relegated as just a member of the national executive committee of the party. He was also not consulted in distribution of tickets in his area. He even returned the ticket given to his nephew Imran Masood who is an MLA. Masood also announced his own candidates from various segments in Saharanpur.
Masood also charged Mulayam Singh Yadav and Azam Khan for opposing the segregation of Muslim quota from 27 percent reservation for other backward castes (OBCs).