Samajwadi Party Thane MLA quits

Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Bhiwandi East (Thane district), Rais Kasam Shaikh quit from his post on Saturday.

Shaikh, who is one of two SP MLAs in the state, has handed over his resignation to Maharashtra SP president and MLA Abu Asim Azmi, he said in a social media post.

According to sources, Azmi has accepted his resignation and Shaikh is all set to join NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
“I have consistently brought forward crucial party organisational and expansion-related concerns to the state leadership of our party over the past year. Despite my persistent efforts, these matters are yet to be resolved. However, I am committed to discussing them exclusively within the party's forums,” Shaikh said in his post.

Adding that his allegiance to the Samajwadi Party runs deep as it has offered him the opportunity to serve as an MLA, he has and would always remain, a staunch supporter of the party.

“My commitment to advancing the party's organisational strength and expansion remains steadfast, even if I am not an MLA. In light of the concerns I have raised, I have tendered my resignation as an MLA to the SP Maharashtra unit president. I hope that the leadership will take the decision in the best interest of the party,” he noted, while signing off from the SP.

Three days ago on April 17, Shaikh, along with his party activists, held a detailed meeting with the MVA-INDIA bloc's LS nominee from the NCP (SP) Suresh G Mhatre alias Balyamama to chart out his election strategy in the region that has a significant chunk of the Muslim minority population.