By: Shamikh Rais Siddiqui
Bahraich, January 30
Former Uttar Pradesh minister and senior leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who recently resigned from the Indian National Congress along with several supporters, visited Bahraich today to gauge grassroots support for his future political plans.
Speaking to media persons during the visit, Siddiqui emphasized that he harbors no personal animosity toward the Congress party. “I hold Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in high regard,” he said, adding that his departure stemmed from differences in working style rather than any grudge.
The veteran politician, who once served as a cabinet minister in the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government before joining Congress in 2018, stressed his desire to focus on grassroots work for the underprivileged sections of society. “Politics is not merely about delivering speeches from stages. I want to work at the ground level according to my own style, which differs from the Congress party’s approach,” he explained.
When questioned about his next move—whether forming a new political party or joining an existing one—Siddiqui said he is actively consulting supporters and people across various regions. “I will take a final decision within the next week,” he stated.
He categorically ruled out any return to the BSP but expressed support for Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s PDA (Pichhde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) formula, describing it as a valid and unproblematic strategy for social justice.
Siddiqui also weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) new equity regulations for 2026. Noting that the Supreme Court has stayed their implementation, he remarked, “There must be something wrong with these regulations, which is why the apex court has put them on hold.” Without naming any specific party, he alleged that “communal forces” are behind a broader conspiracy to sow division.
He accused these forces of a pattern of targeting minorities and marginalized groups: “First, they kill Muslims in mob lynchings, then hoist saffron flags in mosques, and later try to provoke conflict between Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to reap political benefits.”
Referring to the ethnic violence in Manipur, Siddiqui questioned the Prime Minister’s engagement with the state, asking whether he had visited even once amid the prolonged crisis. He further highlighted injustices faced by backward Hindus and Brahmins, pointing out that even the Shankaracharya has not been spared from such treatment. Siddiqui strongly opposed what he described as attempts to use the UGC regulations to create divisions in society and reiterated his stance against any insult to the Shankaracharya.
The former minister’s visit to Bahraich comes at a time when Uttar Pradesh’s political landscape is heating up ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with several parties repositioning themselves in the wake of recent developments. Siddiqui’s statements indicate a potential realignment in the state’s opposition space as he seeks a platform aligned with his vision of grassroots activism and social equity.