There is considerable political controversy in Karnataka Congress following remarks by Zaid Khan, son of Housing and Minority Welfare Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan. The claims made about the Shivajinagar assembly constituency have triggered a vigorous backlash against the sitting MLA Rizwan Arshad.
The Spark: Zaid Khan’s Bold Claims
In a recent interaction in Mysuru, actor and son of Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, Zaid Khan, claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had offered him during the last elections the ‘B-Form’ (official party nomination) for the Shivajinagar constituency. Zaid Khan said he had no interest in politics back then and didn't actually "look back" at the offer. It was his father, Zameer Ahmed Khan, he added, who finally managed to get Rizwan Arshad the ticket and did everything to secure his victory. “If I had political ambitions, I could have easily won from Shivajinagar,” Zaid said, suggesting as if the seat was his for the taking.
Backlash from the Camp of Rizwan Arshad
Such statements have been viewed negatively by the followers of Rizwan Arshad, who have disparaged Zaid Khan's "arrogant and misleading" comments. Supporters in Mysuru and Bengaluru who defend the Shivajinagar MLA raise the following points:
Merit-based Selection: According to supporters, the ticket was awarded to Rizwan Arshad on the basis of loyalty to the party and the extensive work that he had done as a youth leader, not as a favor of the Khan family.
Long-Seasoned Member of the Congress
They pointed out to Zaid that Rizwan has had a long career with the Congress starting from his student days where he had served as the Youth Congress President, working on grassroots teams before Zameer Ahmed Khan had joined the party.
The Siddaramaiah Factor
Supporters cautioned Zaid against “misusing” the Chief Minister’s name. They doubted the validity of his assertion that a B-form would have been given to someone with no track record of politics over an experienced leader like Rizwan.
Historical Accuracy
And they noted that years ago the party recognized Rizwan’s potential; they had nominated him to the Legislative Council (MLC) and Lok Sabha based on his merit alone.
The Internal Friction in the Minority Wing
This verbal feud highlights escalating friction between the supporters of two of the biggest minority leaders in the Congress party. If Zameer Ahmed Khan is about mass appeal and influence, Rizwan Arshad has been seen as the academically educated, articulate face of the party’s youth and minority wing. Rizwan Arshad’s supporters have encouraged Zaid Khan to pay attention to his film career, refrain from saying things that could hurt the party’s image, such as being too "confusing" and "divisive." They have insisted on a clarification that political positions and opinions are earned through hard work and service, not inherited or “gifted.”
