A remark by Samajwadi Party MLA Mehboob Ali has ignited a political firestorm in Uttar Pradesh, following his statement that the Muslim population is increasing and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will soon lose power. The comments were made during a public gathering in Bijnor, where Ali, an MLA from Amroha and a former state minister, suggested that the BJP’s rule will come to an end by 2027, reported the NDTV.
In a video of the event, Ali is heard declaring, “Your rule will end soon. The population of Muslims is rising. We will come to power. The Mughals ruled for 850 years; they couldn’t be removed… those burning the country should know that people have awakened. They responded in the last Parliament polls, and they will do so again. By 2027, you will be gone, and we will come.”
Ali’s remarks have drawn sharp criticism from the BJP. Subrat Pathak, former MP and BJP general secretary in Uttar Pradesh, lashed out at the Samajwadi Party, stating that Akhilesh Yadav, the party’s chief, must explain whether these comments align with his political strategy.
“Is Akhilesh Yadav busy dividing Hindus so that one particular community’s desires are fulfilled?” Pathak asked, adding that the BJP remains strong with Narendra Modi as Prime Minister for a third term and Yogi Adityanath as Chief Minister for two terms.
However, Samajwadi Party leader Sunil Sajan distanced the party from Ali’s statement about population demographics. Sajan clarified that the party does not endorse the claim that BJP will be defeated due to an increase in the Muslim population. Nonetheless, he pointed to other issues such as inflation, unemployment, corruption, and rising hate politics as reasons why people are disillusioned with the BJP.
“A large portion of the population wants to see BJP out of power, and they won’t be in power for long,” Sajan remarked.
The Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are slated for 2027, and these remarks have already stirred political debate as the state gears up for another round of electoral contests.
