Mumbai: In a significant political development, veteran leader minority Kamaal Farooqui and his son, Barrister Umar Kamaal Farooqui, have rejoined the Indian National Congress (INC) along with several former MLAs and supporters. The reunion, which took place recently at Congress headquarters in Mumbai, comes after a two-decade-long separation. Kamaal Farooqui, once a key figure in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), served as Chairman of the part’s Minority wing and also held a ministerial rank as the Chairman of the Consumer Welfare Advisory Committee.
The formal joining ceremony was attended by senior Congress leaders, including AICC Incharge Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Nana Patole, and former Chief Ministers Sushilkumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan.
Barrister Umar Farooqui, a former NCP student leader and rising political figure, expressed his commitment to working with the Congress to protect constitutional values and promote inclusivity. He highlighted the need to counter the divisive politics of the BJP and similar right-wing parties, emphasizing the Congress Party’s role in restoring the nation’s secular and democratic spirit.
Kamaal Farooqui’s return is expected to consolidate Muslim votes in Maharashtra, a key demographic that had begun shifting towards Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM in recent years. Farooqui’s experience, coupled with his deep-rooted connections in Maharashtra’s Muslim community, makes his re-entry into Congress strategically significant. His son, Umar, with a strong academic background from the UK and political experience as NCP’s student wing leader, has also emerged as a promising youth leader.
