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In what comes as a setback for Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Asim Waqar has quit the party to join the Congress, in a development confirmed by senior Congress leader Gautam.
The Announcement
Congress leader Gautam confirmed that Asim Waqar is joining the party from AIMIM, marking a fresh addition to the Congress camp in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the crucial 2027 polls.
Waqar’s Reasoning
Explaining his decision, Waqar said that anyone who genuinely loves the country has only one goal: to defeat the BJP and bring to power parties that believe in unity. He said it had increasingly felt like the real fight was no longer against the BJP, but against the Congress and other opposition parties instead, and that this was a pattern he no longer wanted to be a part of.
Targeting The Yogi Government
Waqar also took aim at the Yogi Adityanath-led state government, alleging that it had filed numerous cases against political opponents over the years, but had perhaps not anticipated a case being filed against the Chief Minister himself. Referring to Congress leader Ajay Rai’s recent remarks, Waqar said Rai had claimed the Chief Minister was a vegetarian, and that Yogi Adityanath would now have to prove this claim in court. He added that if the Chief Minister fails to do so, he should quit politics altogether.
The Humayun Kabir Money Trail Demand
Waqar further raised questions over an alleged Rs 1,100 crore transaction linked to Humayun Kabir, asking who had given the money and who had received it, pointing to Kabir’s own admission regarding the funds. He said this should be the very first matter taken up for investigation once a Congress-led government comes to power at the Centre.
What This Means For UP 2027?
Waqar’s exit from AIMIM and his move to the Congress is being seen as a notable setback for Owaisi’s party in Uttar Pradesh, a state where AIMIM has been trying to expand its footprint, particularly among Muslim voters, ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. With Waqar now placing himself firmly within the Congress-led opposition camp and openly pushing the idea of opposition unity against the BJP, his switch adds another layer to the shifting political alignments taking shape in Uttar Pradesh well before the state goes to the polls.
Khushi Patel is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering automotive, technology, Lifestyle, entertainment, and mainstream news. She previously worked as a Copy Editor at Times Network and has written automotive editorial content, including comparison pieces, for TimesDrive.
