Samajwadi Party Names 20 Star Campaigners For Bihar Polls; Azam Khan Included

The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) on Friday announced a list of 20 star campaigners for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, aiming to bolster the Mahagathbandhan’s outreach across the state.

The lineup features several senior party leaders, including SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, his wife and MP Dimple Yadav, and parliamentarians Rajiv Rai, Ikra Hasan, and Priya Saroj.

The inclusion of Azam Khan, the ten-time MLA who was recently released from jail, is being seen as a key move to energise the party’s base and strengthen the alliance’s campaign.

According to the party, the SP’s campaigners will soon begin statewide tours to mobilise public support for Mahagathbandhan candidates, which include members of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Left parties.

The other leaders in the campaign team include Kiranmay Nanda, Afzal Ansari, Awadesh Prasad, Babu Singh Kushwaha, Naresh Uttam Patel, Rama Shankar Vidyarthi, Lalji Varma, Chotelal Kharwaar, Sanatan Pandey, Pappu Nishad, Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, Om Prakash Singh, Kashi Yadav, and Dharmendra Solanki.

Azam Khan’s presence on the list has drawn attention, with political observers suggesting it is a strategic effort to consolidate minority votes, given his enduring influence among Muslim voters.

His inclusion also dispels earlier rumours of his potential exit from the party or talks with OP Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSJ).

The SBSJ, which failed to secure a seat-sharing deal within the NDA, has announced it will contest independently in Bihar and attempt to dent the NDA’s prospects, particularly in the western parts of the state.

With the deadline for candidate withdrawals now over, electioneering in Bihar has entered its peak phase.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJP’s campaign with a major rally, while Mahagathbandhan leaders, including the alliance’s nominees for Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, kicked off their campaign from Patna on Friday.