Owaisi Invokes El-Sayed's US Senate Win To Push Muslim Leadership In UP

Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan has given All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi a fresh political argument in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. On Wednesday, Owaisi welcomed El-Sayed’s victory in the US Senate race and urged Muslims in Uttar Pradesh to build independent political leadership rather than remain dependent on established political parties.

El-Sayed, 42, defeated Republican candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan in the November 3 midterm elections. Reuters reported that his victory helped Democrats retain the seat following the retirement of Senator Gary Peters, who had represented the state since 2015. El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.

Owaisi drew a parallel between the electoral outcome in Michigan and the political position of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. He used El-Sayed’s victory to renew his criticism of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, accusing them of relying on Muslim votes without providing adequate political representation to community leaders.

Michigan Senate Victory

El-Sayed's victory in Michigan carried significance for the Democratic Party, which retained the Senate seat after Peters' retirement.

Reuters reported that El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in the November 3 elections, making history as the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.

His campaign also drew attention because of his Muslim identity and his positions on the Palestinian issue. His support for the Palestinian cause and opposition to US military aid to Israel featured prominently in the campaign. Republicans also questioned his political and religious affiliations.

The result came amid broader Democratic gains in the midterm elections, which dealt a setback to US President Donald Trump's Republican Party. Michigan had voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

Owaisi's Message To Muslims In UP

On November 4, Owaisi used El-Sayed's victory to make a political appeal to Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, where Assembly elections are due in 2027.

In a post on X, he wrote, "One Abdul has won in Michigan. Now, Abdul in Uttar Pradesh must strengthen his political identity. The Sanghis have tried very hard to turn 'Abdul' into a taunt. The time has come to show that Abdul is subservient to none but Allah. We will no longer lay carpets."

Through the post, Owaisi sought to turn the term 'Abdul', which has been used by some BJP leaders as a reference to Muslim men, into a symbol of political assertion.

His remarks also renewed his criticism of the SP and Congress, which he has repeatedly accused of treating Muslims as a vote bank while failing to create opportunities for leaders from the community.

The Uttar Pradesh BJP also responded to Owaisi's remarks on X, targeting SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

BJP said that Muslims had yet to move beyond being a vote bank in Akhilesh Yadav's politics. "They are brought forward when votes are needed but pushed aside when it comes to giving them political representation. How long will the Muslim community be confined to laying carpets and gathering crowds?" the party added.

The BJP alleged that Muslims continued to be treated as a vote bank in the SP's politics, without receiving adequate political representation. It also questioned how long the community would be confined to arranging carpets and mobilising crowds for political events.

Owaisi's Attack On SP And Congress

Owaisi's latest remarks follow a series of attacks on the SP and Congress during his October campaign in Uttar Pradesh, where he has called for independent political leadership from the Muslim community.

Addressing a rally in Tanda in Rampur district on October 18, Owaisi argued that Muslims should develop their own political leadership rather than depend on established political families.

"Abdul will become a leader, an MLA, an MP," he said, according to PTI. "We will no longer make any Nehru, Gandhi, or any Yadav our leader. Young men and women standing in our ranks will become leaders," he added.

A week later, on October 25, Owaisi sharpened his attack on SP chief Akhilesh Yadav at a rally in Kairana.

"Akhilesh Yadav, the name of your party should be changed from Samajwadi to Samajwadi Yadav Parivar," he said.

Owaisi's remarks come as political parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with Muslim representation and leadership emerging as part of his campaign against the SP and Congress.