Azam faces the heat of electoral vagaries, toiling hard for record win

Rampur: The senior Uttar Pradesh minister Mohd Azam Khan , one of the most vocal leaders of Samajwadi Party, eyeing the record 9th victory from Rampur Sadar seat, is feeling the heat in this assembly polls having been pitched in a triangular contest with BJP and BSP nominees.

Azam Khan, known for his outlandish statements, has always said that he required no canvassing on his home turf boasting about his popularity and grip over the electorate. But the.. the election game is a great leveller and dicey at the same time. He has to toil hard in 2017, not only to equal the record of Congress' Pramod Tiwari but before that to ensure his victory.

The UP Urban Development Minister Azam Khan has already won from Rampur Sadar seat eight times and if he wins time, he will equal the record of Pramod Tiwari who has won from Rampur Khas seat in Pratapgarh for nine times in a row, a record in the history of UP legislature.

Azam is locked in a contest with Shiv Bahadur Saxena of Bharatiya Janata Party and Dr Tanveer of Bahujan Samaj Party. Former UP minister Shiv Bahadur, the old war-horse of BJP, is posing strong resistance to Khan Sahab in latter's own backyard. Dr Tanvir, who commands a suave image among the people, will naturally dent the Muslim votes here. Significantly, the Muslims comprised more than fifty per cent of the total votes and the presence of two prominent Muslims from different parties is bound to make a difference.

It will not be an easy task for Azam this time, Afzal, a timber merchant told www.newstrack.com . He reasoned that the high-handed behaviour of the UP Minister coupled with his alleged favours to Jauhar University, his dream project, will sure to come into play.

Precisely why, Azam Khan, contrary to his tall talks, is spending considerable time in person to person contact and small meetings to woo the voters.

The BSP candidate sounds confident of getting minority votes while banking upon the division of Muslim votes, the BJP candidate has every reason to be upbeat.

Rampur is going to polls in the second phase of UP Assembly elections 2017 on February 15.