Lucknow: AIMIM’s Uttar Pradesh face and the party’s national spokesperson, Syed Asim Waqar, joined Congress in New Delhi on Wednesday, calling his move an effort to strengthen the wider opposition challenge to BJP ahead of the state assembly elections due early next year.Waqar alleged that Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM was weakening opposition unity by targeting parties trying to defeat BJP, and said he was “happy to join” Congress, which he described as being in the “driver’s seat” in the fight to oust the ruling party.Waqar joined at AICC headquarters in the presence of Congress’s UP in charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, state president Ajay Rai and AICC minority department chairman Imran Pratapgarhi. “Opposition parties should focus on defeating the BJP rather than fighting among themselves,” Waqar said, adding that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his team were leading the battle against BJP nationwide.Political observers termed the switch a setback for AIMIM’s efforts to expand in Uttar Pradesh and consolidate Muslim voters.Gautam said Waqar’s induction would strengthen Congress’s campaign on education, employment, women, students and marginalised sections. Rai said the move would energise the party organisation as Congress and Samajwadi Party prepare to take on BJP.
