Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Burke and MLA Iqbal Mahmood
– Photo: Amar Ujala
Expansion
Sambhal is considered the stronghold of SP. SP founder and former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Professor Ram Gopal Yadav have also been MPs after contesting elections from this Sambhal Lok Sabha constituency. Even after this, this seat has been a victim of party factionalism.
Political enmity has been going on between the families of Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Burke and Iqbal Mahmood for almost five decades. The party has had to bear the brunt of this many times. Mulayam Singh Yadav had won the Lok Sabha elections in the years 1998 and 1999.
After this, in the year 2004, Professor Ram Gopal Yadav won the Lok Sabha elections. After this, in the year 2009, SP had given ticket to Iqbal Mahmood. At that time Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Burke was also in SP and was also an MP from Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency.
When the ticket was announced, he contested the elections on BSP ticket. The SP candidate had to bear the brunt. Iqbal Mahmood was defeated. BSP candidate Dr. Burke had won. After this, in the year 2014, SP had made Dr. Burke its candidate.
In which Dr. Burke had to face defeat from BJP candidate Satyapal Singh Saini. In this election, Dr. Burke had alleged that the party leaders did not contest the elections and had protested. In the year 2019 too, there was rebellion in both the camps but due to the alliance, Dr. Burke won by a huge margin.
Voices of rebellion may be raised in this election also. Because when Dr. Burke was declared a candidate by SP in the first list, Iqbal Mahmood’s attitude became sharp. Even at that time, he had told his supporters to take the decision only after holding a meeting.
Same attitude is maintained this time too. This makes it clear that SP’s factionalism may once again come to the fore in Sambhal.