Azam stays away from CM iftar do

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President Pranab Mukherjee

Senior UP minister Mohd Azam Khan is back in news. He gave a miss to the iftar party hosted by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday evening even though he was very much in the state capital.
The absence of Mr Khan, who is perceived as the Muslim face of the Samajwadi Party, has once again set alarm bells ringing in the party.
While other SP leaders tried to downplay Mr Khan’s absence at the iftar, Muslim clerics were seen asking each other in hushed tones about the minister’s absence.
Sources close to the minister said that he was upset at the fact that despite his recommendation, the municipal commissioner of Lucknow, N.P. Singh, had not yet been suspended. Mr Khan had recommended the official’s suspension five days ago but the state government is yet to take note of it.
Interestingly, Shahi Imam, Syed Ahmad Bukhari was another notable absentee at the iftar party even though the invite had been sent to him well in advance.
“Mr Azam Khan was probably also upset at Bukhari being invited to the iftar and decided to stay away since hostilities between the two are very much out in the open,” said a senior minister.
Samajwadi circles are also agog with reports on the minister’s absence since this was the first iftar party being hosted by Akhilesh Yadav as chief minister and had considerable significance attached to it.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Mr Khan said that he was preoccupied with other functions in Lucknow and then had to leave for his constituency Rampur for the Alvida Namaz on Friday.
Insiders claim that Mr Khan is “simmering with rage” over the manner in which the SP leadership has been ignoring him.
“Just wait for him to blow a fuse which could be very soon because he is not the kid to take things lying down for long,” said a former aide of the minister.
However, the chief minister’s iftar party attracted huge crowds and all senior Muslim clerics belonging to both sects were also present.