Shivpal Yadav's Azam Khan remark sparks UP political row; NDA hits back
Synopsis
Shivpal Yadav's pledge that a future SP government would free Azam Khan has cracked open a high-stakes UP political battle. With the 2027 Assembly elections in sight, both sides are using the jailed leader as a proxy war — the SP rallying its base around victimhood, and the NDA seeking to brand its rival as a party that protects the corrupt.
Key Takeaways
SP National General Secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav declared on 22 September that jailed leader Azam Khan was framed and would be freed if the SP comes to power in Uttar Pradesh .
SP spokesperson Ashutosh Verma alleged that Azam Khan, his wife, and son were all implicated in false cases after the BJP took power in the state.
UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar countered that several cases against Azam Khan were registered during the SP's own tenure .
BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar linked the SP to the Muzaffarnagar riots and called Azam Khan a 'terrorist, not a leader.' JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan warned that the SP could lose candidates' deposits in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections if it continues defending such leaders.
Samajwadi Party (SP) National General Secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav set off a sharp political controversy on Tuesday, 22 September, after declaring that jailed SP leader Azam Khan had been framed in false cases and would walk free if the SP returned to power in Uttar Pradesh. The remarks drew an immediate counter-offensive from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which said Shivpal Yadav had inadvertently exposed the SP's 'true face.'
What Shivpal Yadav Said
Speaking at a political event on Monday, Shivpal Yadav asserted that Azam Khan and members of his family had been targeted through fabricated cases. 'Those who try to trap Azam Khan will be guilty... If the SP forms the government in Uttar Pradesh, Azam Khan will be out,' he said, signalling that a future SP administration would revisit the legal proceedings against the incarcerated leader.
SP Backs Its General Secretary
SP spokesperson Ashutosh Verma defended Shivpal Yadav's position and alleged a systematic campaign against Azam Khan's family after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Uttar Pradesh. 'Everyone knows that Azam Khan had established a university of such calibre that thousands — lakhs — of students could study there and build their futures, but ever since the BJP government came to power, not only Azam Khan, but his wife and his son have been sent to jail and implicated in false cases,' Verma said. He further warned that when the SP forms the government, 'action will be taken against those who have falsely implicated our leaders.'
NDA's Sharp Rebuttal
Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar rejected the SP's framing outright, arguing that several cases against Azam Khan predated the BJP's tenure and were registered during SP rule itself. 'It was the SP people who framed him. Not all the cases filed against him were registered during the SP's tenure; you were giving him money, building structures on government property, and if that land is government-owned, why didn't you convert it into a school in his name — is this the BJP's fault or the SP's?' Rajbhar said. He also invoked the alleged sale of government jobs under previous SP rule, contrasting it with what he described as a merit-based appointments process under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar went further, accusing the SP of shielding leaders facing serious allegations and linking the party to the Muzaffarnagar riots. 'This is their true face... The very people who orchestrated Muzaffarnagar riots, oppressed the poor, took away people's land... The people of Uttar Pradesh understand all this,' Gurjar said, calling Azam Khan a 'terrorist, not a leader' in the eyes of the electorate.
Janata Dal (United) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan also weighed in, questioning how SP leaders could defend a politician facing a large number of cases ranging from property disputes to alleged misuse of official resources. 'If Shivpal Yadav is calling action against such politicians something akin to incurring sin, then in 2027, even their candidates' deposits won't be saved,' Ranjan said, a reference to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due in 2027.
Background: Azam Khan's Legal Troubles
Azam Khan, a senior SP leader and former minister, has been in custody facing multiple cases, including allegations of land encroachment, theft of government property, and other charges — many of which the SP has consistently contested as politically motivated. His wife and son have also faced legal proceedings, adding a family dimension to what has become one of the most politically charged criminal cases in Uttar Pradesh. The SP has long maintained that the prosecutions intensified after the BJP consolidated power in the state.
Political Stakes Ahead of 2027
The controversy arrives well ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, making Azam Khan's fate a live electoral flashpoint. Both sides appear to be using the row to consolidate their respective bases — the SP signalling solidarity with a jailed leader popular in western UP's Muslim-majority constituencies, and the NDA seeking to frame the SP as defenders of the allegedly corrupt. How the legal proceedings against Azam Khan unfold in the coming months is likely to remain a defining subplot of UP's pre-election political landscape.
Point of View
Calculating that the loyalty dividend outweighs the reputational cost. The NDA's swift, coordinated response across ministers and MLAs suggests it sees this as a gift it intends to exploit. What mainstream coverage underplays is the contradiction at the heart of the SP's position: the party simultaneously calls the cases fabricated and promises to act against those who filed them, which is itself a form of political pressure on the judiciary. The 2027 election will test whether Azam Khan's constituency weights victim politics above governance accountability.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Shivpal Yadav say about Azam Khan?
Shivpal Yadav, the SP's National General Secretary, said at a political event that Azam Khan had been framed in false cases and that if the SP forms the government in Uttar Pradesh, Azam Khan would be released. He also alleged that members of Azam Khan's family had been similarly targeted.
Why is Azam Khan in jail?
Azam Khan is in custody facing multiple cases, including allegations of land encroachment, theft of government property, and other charges. His wife and son have also faced legal proceedings. The SP has consistently maintained that the cases are politically motivated and intensified after the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh.
How did the NDA respond to Shivpal Yadav's remarks?
The NDA hit back sharply. UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar argued that many cases against Azam Khan were filed during the SP's own tenure. BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar called it the SP's 'true face' and linked the party to the Muzaffarnagar riots. JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan warned the SP could lose election deposits in 2027.
Why does this controversy matter ahead of 2027?
Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are due in 2027, making Azam Khan's legal status a live political flashpoint. The SP is signalling solidarity with a leader who commands significant support in western UP's Muslim-majority constituencies, while the NDA is using the row to frame the SP as a party that shields those facing serious allegations.
What is the SP's official position on the cases against Azam Khan?
The SP maintains that Azam Khan, his wife, and son were falsely implicated after the BJP assumed power in Uttar Pradesh. Spokesperson Ashutosh Verma said the cases were part of a targeted campaign and that an SP government would take action against those responsible for the alleged false implication.
