The support was extended by the outfit chief Tauqir Ahmed Raza Khan on Monday
Ittehad-e-Millat Council, a regional political party of Uttar Pradesh seen as having considerable influence over Muslims of the Barelvi sect, on Monday extended its support to the Congress in all the five poll-bound states.
The support was extended by the outfit chief Tauqir Ahmed Raza Khan on Monday following which UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu thanked him.
Mr Khan, a religious leader of the Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims had founded his political party Ittehad-e-Millat Council in 2001.
In the 2012 elections, Mr Khan's party had made Shazil Islam Ansari, a former Bahujan Samaj Party minister, its candidate from Bhojipura constituency in Bareilly. Though he had won the polls, he joined the Samajwadi Party later.
Speaking at a press conference at the UPCC headquarters, Mr Khan said restoring peace and harmony in these five states as well as the country, protecting the Constitution, backwards, downtrodden, oppressed and minorities, youths and farmers is possible only under the Congress and its leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
"I discussed the problems of Muslim society with leaders of all political parties and asked them to reflect on these problems in their manifesto and in the party meetings but apart from the Congress, no political party thought it appropriate to talk openly on these issues," he said.
He added that he also met Priyanka Gandhi and realised that the future of the country and the state, communal harmony and the Constitution can be safe only in the hands of those whose families have sacrificed their lives for the unity and integrity of the country.
Criticising Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Mr Khan accused him of arrogance and alleged that his dreams of raising party flag by ignoring the Muslim leadership will never come true.
“The Muslims felt cheated in earlier governments led by the Samajwadi Party. They formed governments in the past on the basis of our strength. Now the people have fully recognised them,” Mr Khan said, adding he will also campaign for the Congress whenever required.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Lallu thanked Mr Khan for his support and accused UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as well as Akhilesh Yadav of trying to mislead people on basic issues.
“During the governments led by both (Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav), people of all sections of society have felt disappointed. It is the politics of event management which is going on in the state,” Mr Lallu said, seeking to assure that his party will fulfil all the promises it has made to the people.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)