'Abdul has won in Michigan, now Abdul from UP must strengthen': Owaisi urges UP Muslims to assert political identity

LUCKNOW: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday invoked Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's reported victory in Michigan's US Senate election to make a political pitch for greater Muslim representation in Uttar Pradesh, taking aim at both the BJP and Samajwadi Party for allegedly stereotyping the community and denying it leadership opportunities."Earlier, BJP people used to say Abdul repairs punctures. Samajwadi Party people say Abdul will lay out carpets. We are telling them that in a democracy, Abdul has become a senator. Now, in Uttar Pradesh, Abdul will not bow his head before anyone. He will become an MLA, a leader. He will not lay out carpets," Owaisi said.The Hyderabad MP further asserted, "Neither will Abdul fear the RSS nor will he bow his head before anyone. Abdul will do his work and become a leader."Responding to questions about the political controversy surrounding his remarks, Owaisi thanked those who had turned the issue into a debate."Thank you for making it an issue. Thanks also to the BJP people who think Abdul will only repair punctures. Abdul has repaired so many punctures that he will not repair any more," he said.Owaisi maintained that his remarks were intended to counter the derogatory use of the name Abdul and encourage Muslims to assert themselves politically rather than remain confined to supporting roles in political parties.In an earlier post on X, he had drawn parallels between El-Sayed's electoral success and the need for Muslims in UP to strengthen their political identity. He also accused the RSS of using Abdul as a derogatory reference.The remarks come amid Owaisi's continuing criticism of the Samajwadi Party, which he has accused of treating Muslims as a vote bank without providing adequate political representation.With the 2027 UP assembly elections approaching, AIMIM is seeking to expand its footprint in the state. Its outreach to Muslim voters could challenge the SP, which traditionally relies on the Muslim-Yadav combination as a core electoral base.El-Sayed, a 42-year-old former public health official and son of Egyptian immigrants, reportedly defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's closely contested Senate election. The seat was left open after Democratic Senator Gary Peters decided against seeking re-election.Owaisi has used the reported result to reinforce his demand for greater Muslim political leadership in Uttar Pradesh.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in LucknowStay updated with the latest Lucknow news. Download the TOI App.