Naseemuddin Siddiqui Quits Congress with 72 Associates, Cites Ideological Suffocation

• Naseemuddin Siddiqui, former BSP minister, resigned from Congress along with 72 leaders, including ex-MLAs.
• Siddiqui cited 'ideological suffocation' and inability to fight for the public as reasons for his departure.
• He stated he has no personal complaints against Congress leadership but seeks to work at the grassroots level.
• Siddiqui, a national-level volleyball player and former railway contractor, began his political journey in Banda in 1988.
• He was a prominent BSP leader, serving as a cabinet minister multiple times and known as 'Mini Chief Minister' in 2007.

Why It Matters: Naseemuddin Siddiqui's exit from Congress with 72 associates signals a significant shift in UP politics.