Amaravati, April 6: A Muslim MLC in Andhra Pradesh has quit ruling party YSR Congress ahead of next month’s Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Shaikh Mohammed Iqbal, a Member of Legislative Council, resigned from the party as he was not happy with the party fielding Tippegowda Narayan Deepika from Hindupur Assembly constituency for May 13 election.
The retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer sent his resignation from primary membership of YSR Congress Party to Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Iqbal wrote that he was resigning on personal grounds. He also sent his resignation as MLC to chairman of the Legislative Council. His term was to end in March 2027.
The former police official had joined YSRCP in 2018 after retirement. He contested unsuccessfully as YSRCP candidate against actor and TDP leader Balakrishna in Hindupur constituency.
After YSRCP came to power in 2019, Iqbal was made MLC.
Hailing from Kurnool district, Iqbal held several key positions in the police department in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He had served as Inspector-General of Rayalaseema Range
He had served as the Chief Security Officer to N. Chandrababu Naidu in his first term as chief minister between 1995 and 2000.
In 2013, he was appointed as special officer to the State Wakf Board in united Andhra Pradesh. He also served as commissioner of minorities welfare.
Known as an upright officer, the IPS officer of 1995 batch. In an unprecedented action, he had suspended 16 mutawallis (managers of Waqf properties) and took an equal number of institutions to the Waqf Board for alleged failure to pay Waqf Fund, misappropriation of funds and failure to protect Waqf lands. His term was not extended in 2014 due to the controversies over his actions.
Following bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Iqbal served in various posts in the police department in the residuary state before retirement.
