New Delhi: It is often said that whether in public or private life, the burden of responsibility compels people to alter their demeanour. Imran Masood, the Congress MP from Saharanpur who once made scathing remarks against the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Akhilesh Yadav,v now appears to have changed his stance. His attitude towards Akhilesh Yadav has softened significantly.
Imran Masood, who until recently was demanding an equal share and warning the SP to finalise seat-sharing decisions quickly, is now choosing his words carefully. He has signalled a willingness to strengthen the alliance with Akhilesh Yadav. His appointment as the Working President of the UP Congress is believed to be the reason behind this shift to a conciliatory tone.
Imran Masood Ready to Accept Akhilesh’s Proposals
Prominent Congress leader and Saharanpur MP Imran Masood stated that they are ready to accept any practical proposal put forward by Akhilesh Yadav. A marked change in his attitude has been observed since the Congress high command appointed him as the Working President of the UP unit. While he had previously questioned Akhilesh Yadav’s standing, he is now advocating for entering the electoral fray only through an alliance with the SP.
Imran Had Previously Attacked the SP
Six Congress MPs were elected from UP, and Imran Masood is one of them; he won the Lok Sabha election from the Saharanpur constituency in Western Uttar Pradesh. Prior to becoming the UP Congress Working President, Masood had been consistently pressuring the SP to finalise seat-sharing arrangements without delay.
At one point, he had even asserted that the SP and Congress would contest all five seats in Saharanpur that they had contested in 2017. He had remarked that if Akhilesh Yadav wished to play the role of an ‘elder brother,’ he would need to demonstrate a ‘big heart’ as well.
Accusations of being anti-Muslim levelled against SP
Imran Masood had accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) of being anti-Muslim. He stated that the SP could tolerate neither prominent Muslim leaders nor those who spoke their minds openly. Citing the examples of Azam Khan, Atiq Ahmed, and Mukhtar Ansari, he remarked that the SP leadership is never seen standing by Muslim leaders during times of crisis.
He had also warned the SP not to harbour the misconception that it could defeat the BJP single-handedly in 2024. Masood had cautioned, “This is not the Congress of 2017; this is the Congress of 2027.”
Tone shifts after receiving a major responsibility
Recently, the Congress party appointed Imran Masood as the Working President for Uttar Pradesh. Following this appointment, his political stance has undergone a complete transformation. He is now seen advocating for the principles of alliance and unity with the SP. Regarding seat-sharing with the SP, he stated that the distribution of seats is not a matter of dispute. “Our objective is significant, and Akhilesh Yadav is our ally,” he said.
