In a major setback to the Congress ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, disqualified Rajya Sabha MP Rashid Masood, its only prominent Muslim face in western Uttar Pradesh, appears to be all set to rejoin the Samajwadi Party (SP).
Speculations about Masood’s rejoining the SP before his release from jail were confirmed after the party declared his son, Shadan Masood, as its Lok Sabha candidate from the Saharanpur constituency.
Rasheed Masood had been lodged in jail in connection with the medical admission scam. The SP had earlier declared ex-MLA Imran Masood, Rashid Masood's nephew as its Lok Sabha nominee from the seat.
Rashid Masood had opposed Imran’s candidature and sought a ticket for his son Shadan, according to reports. Rashid Masood had also said that he would have Shadan contest the Lok Sabha poll as an independent candidate if he was denied a ticket by the SP.
Rashid Masood, who was the first MP to lose his seat following the Supreme Court order striking down the provision that protected convicted lawmakers from disqualification during the pendency of their appeal in the higher court, had also reportedly met SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav recently.