India, Nov. 4 -- A Muslim candidate's historic victory in the United States Senate has given AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi fresh ammunition to push his campaign for independent Muslim political leadership in Uttar Pradesh, where Assembly elections are due in 2027.

Celebrating Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan, Owaisi said it was time for Muslims in Uttar Pradesh to move beyond supporting established political leaders and claim a greater share of political power themselves.

Using his familiar 'Abdul' metaphor, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief renewed his criticism of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, accusing them of treating Muslims as a vote bank without creating enough opportunities for memb...