A significant internal conflict has erupted within the Samajwadi Party's (SP) Maharashtra unit just before crucial municipal corporation elections. Bhiwandi East MLA Rais Kasam Shaikh has openly accused the state leadership of authoritarian functioning and unfair practices in distributing election tickets.
Letter to National Chief Exposes Factionalism
In a detailed letter addressed to national party president Akhilesh Yadav, Shaikh outlined his grievances. He claimed that a "tragic atmosphere" prevails within the party despite its recent electoral successes in the region. The MLA highlighted his own contribution, stating that development works worth nearly Rs 1,200 crore during his tenure helped broaden the party's appeal beyond its traditional North Indian voter base to include Marathi, South Indian, Gujarati, and Marwari communities.
However, Shaikh alleged that the state unit has now succumbed to severe factionalism and high-handedness. He pointed fingers at "influential elements" within the party for orchestrating a "well-planned campaign of misinformation" against him, which included accusations of nepotism. Shaikh stated that these false allegations were an attack on his dignity and an attempt to damage his political character.
Allegations of Arbitrary Ticket Distribution
The MLA reserved some of his strongest criticism for the party's candidate selection process for the upcoming civic polls. He described it as resembling the operations of a "private limited company rather than that of a democratic party." According to Shaikh, loyal grassroots workers who embody the party's socialist ideology have been deliberately sidelined. In their place, the leadership has favoured "imported faces" with no real commitment to the party's core values, a move he warned has eroded credibility with voters.
Shaikh also revealed that he had withdrawn his brother Salim Shaikh's candidature following directions from the national leadership. Despite this compliance, he claimed the "venomous campaign" against him did not stop.
Power Struggle and Historical Context
This public letter marks the second time Shaikh has openly clashed with the state leadership, implicitly targeting Maharashtra SP president Abu Asim Azmi. The two had reached a temporary truce ahead of the Assembly elections after Shaikh threatened to resign as an MLA in April 2023. Both leaders eventually won their respective seats.
The Samajwadi Party's expansion in Maharashtra has been largely directed by Azmi, who secured the party's first three Assembly seats in the state back in 1995. Rais Shaikh emerged as an alternative face for the party after winning a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election from Govandi in 2012. His close association with Azmi initially fueled a rapid rise, leading to roles as group leader and a member of the powerful BMC Standing Committee.
His political journey faced a test when he was parachuted into the Bhiwandi East constituency just 15 days before polling for the Assembly elections. Defying expectations, he defeated the sitting Shiv Sena MLA by a narrow margin of 1,314 votes.
Despite being re-elected, the underlying tension with the state leadership over the party's direction has persisted. Shaikh alleges he has been sidelined, with none of his supporters finding a place in the SP's seat-sharing arrangements for the municipal elections. The two leaders now largely avoid each other in public, signaling a rift that threatens party unity during a critical election period.
