Owaisi aide, AIMIM spokesperson Asim Waqar joins Congress ahead of UP polls

With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due early next year, the Congress on Wednesday, 2 September received a boost with the induction of Asim Waqar, a prominent All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader and spokesperson known for his fiery speeches and combative television debates.

Explaining his decision to switch parties, Waqar said those seeking to defeat the BJP should focus on that objective rather than fighting other Opposition parties.

“People who love the country want to uproot and throw out the BJP’s anti-national government from power so that a secular and people-oriented government can be established in the country,” Waqar said after joining the Congress.

“After staying in the AIMIM, I realised that while we talk about fighting the BJP and its ideology, on the ground we end up fighting those who are opposed to the BJP. Therefore, I decided that if we are true patriots and genuinely want to remove the BJP from power, we must join the Congress, which is fighting the BJP with strength,” he said.

Waqar asserted that Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and his team were leading the fight against the BJP across the country.

Welcoming Waqar into the party, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai said Waqar had always worked to convey a positive message to society through his oratory.

“His thinking and ideas are connected to the dream that our leader Rahul Gandhiji has envisioned for this country. Today, the ‘shop of love’ is continuously expanding, and in 2027, the Congress flag will flutter in every village and every street of Uttar Pradesh,” Rai said.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi also welcomed Waqar’s induction, saying it would strengthen the party ahead of the elections.

“Today, one more comrade has joined us in the caravan of Rahul Gandhiji’s ‘mohabbat ki dukaan’. This made our family even stronger. In the coming times, many more comrades will join the party. We will fight with full strength and win,” Pratapgarhi said.

Waqar’s move comes at a crucial juncture ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, which are scheduled for early 2027. The ruling BJP is expected to face a challenge from the Opposition, with the Samajwadi Party and Congress to remain key players.

His defection could also pose a challenge to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s efforts to expand the party’s electoral footprint in Uttar Pradesh, where AIMIM has sought to establish itself as a political force among Muslim voters.