India, Jan. 25 -- In a setback to the Uttar Pradesh Congress ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, senior leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who commands significant support among Muslims in western UP, resigned from the party's primary membership on Saturday along with 73 supporters.

Highly placed sources said Siddiqui had been seeking a greater role in the decision-making process of the UP Congress and had been attempting for nearly a year to secure time for a detailed discussion with Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, without success.

Sources said Siddiqui had long felt marginalized within the party and was increasingly concerned about his political future. According to them, while he has explored the possibility of returning to the ...