UP assembly election 2017: Azam Khan's controversy laden political journey

Azam Khan, known for his closeness with Mulayam Singh, recently blamed Amar Singh for the ongoing feud in Samajwadi Party.

Lucknow, Jan 9: With just weeks left for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party that caught in the Yadav family feud is desperately trying to stand on its feet. On Saturday, senior party leaders including Shivpal Singh Yadav, Azam Khan and others met Mulayam Singh Yadav to find a solution to ongoing feud.

Azam Khan has tried to play peacemaker with Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam, asking both of them to put their differences aside for the party. Here is a brief profile of Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan:

Date of birth: August 14, 1948

Education: Azam Khan has a Bachelor's Degree in Law from Aligarh Muslim University.

Political career: Azam Khan has been elected eight times from the Rampur assembly constituency. Currently a member of the Samajwadi party, Khan has emerged as one of the most popular Muslim leader in the state.

Khan in the past has had affiliation with the Janata Party (secular), Lok Dal, Janata Party and Janata Dal. He was expelled from the Samajwadi Party in 2009 for indifferences with the party. He was, however, reinstated the next year in Dec 2010.

Khan was appointed as the chairman of the Maha Kumbh Mela by the UP government in 2013.

Controversies: Azam Khan, known for his controversial statements, has faced flak for his statements in the past. He once said that Kargil perk was won not due to Hindu but Muslim soldiers. He did not spare PM Modi and once made derogatory comments about him for which he was criticised thoroughly.

Khan also once said that the Paris terror attacks of 2015 could be a reaction to the innocent killings in the Arab countries because of the 'superpowers.' Azam Khan took on Amit Shah once and said that the latter was in UP to create terror and termed him 'Gunda No. 1.'

Khan was asked by the Supreme Court to tender an apology after he said that the Bulandshahr gangrape was a 'political controversy' aimed at tarnishing Akhilesh Yadav's image.

Khan is also known for filing a complaint for his missing buffaloes in UP for which 100 policemen were deployed.

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