Zameer Ahmed, next big Muslim leader in Congress?

By Deepika

Updated: Tuesday, March 27, 2018, 15:31 [IST]

The Congress is pitching for suspended JD(S) MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, who is yet to join the party to fill the vacuum of Muslim leadership in the Congress.

Khan is expected to join the Congress in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi in Bengaluru on February 26.

Khan will be projected as an influential Muslim leader.
Zameer Ahmed is a member of the Legislative Assembly and former General Secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Janata Dal (Secular).

Khan was the former Minister for the Haj and Wakf Board for government of Karnataka and three consistent times MLA from Chamrajpet Constituency.

In 2005, when S M Krishna appointment as Maharashtra governor, paved the way for Zameer's political growth. When Krishna vacated Chamarajpet seat to take up the governor's post, JD(S) fielded Zameer who went to beat Krishna's lieutenant R V Devaraj.

Subsequently, Zameer was sworn in as Haj and wakf minister in the JDS-BJP coalition government under H D Kumaraswamy's chief ministership.

A three -time MLA, Zameer is a partner in National Travels, a transport company in the state. Zameer Ahmed Khan's Birthday is on 1 August.

In 2016, Khan was one of 7 JD(S) MLAs suspended for cross voting for candidates of different parties in the 2016 Rajya Sabha election.

Khan, who's close to chief minister Siddaramaiah, said he also enjoyed the confidence of Parameshwara. His shift is sure to affect the JD(S) negatively while adding strength to the Congress in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018.

Karnataka Assembly Election dates
Date of notification	April 17
Last date to file nominations	April 24
Last date to withdraw nominations	April 27
Date of polling	May 12
Date of counting	May 15