Sana Khanam and Mamoon Shah (News18 Hindi)
Khanum’s achievement came a month after her husband, Mamoon Shah, a former Congress leader, learned that the seat he wanted to contest in Rampur was reserved for women.
Sana Khanum, who was fielded by her husband and AAP office-bearer Mamoon Shah, created history by winning the Samajwadi Party’s Azam Khan bastion Rampur municipal seat for 20 years in the Uttar Pradesh urban local body elections.
Khanum’s achievement on Saturday came a month after her husband, a former Congress leader, learned that the seat he wanted to contest in Rampur was reserved for women. Prior to this, 45-year-old Mamoon Shah Khan was a staunch bachelor and was all set to contest from the Rampur municipal seat until the reservation was revealed.
Khanum emerged victorious in the recent elections by a margin of 43,121 votes, defeating BJP’s Masharat Mujeeb (32,173 votes) and SP’s Fatma Jabin (16,273 votes) to become the new chairman of the Rampur Municipal Council.
Shah was associated with the Congress party for 25 years from the Youth Congress to reaching the city committee. However, he quit the party just before his wedding on 15 April and joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) the next day along with his wife.
Shah told TOI on Saturday, “I worked hard among people as a social worker for years and this time decided to enter active politics. But at the last moment, the seat I aspired for was reserved for women.”
After the marriage, the couple initially faced obstacles. Shah said, “The Congress party refused to give a ticket to a newcomer.” ,
During the election campaign, locals referred to the couple as “newlyweds”, and Sana was known as “Nai Naveli Dulhan” or newly married bride, according to a report. Indian Express,
“I have no hesitation in accepting that this is a victory for Mamoon sahab, who is a well known face in Rampur. My victory also indicates that the time has come for a change in Rampur. Marriages are definitely made in heaven. With his (Mamoon’s) cooperation, I will take this area towards development,” Khanum said. The Sunday Express,
According to Faizal Khan Lala, former Congress leader and now its state spokesperson, who joined AAP and is now its state spokesperson, “Mamoon Shah is a familiar face in Rampur. He wanted to contest the seat on a Congress ticket, but when the seat was reserved for women, he was advised to get married and give the ticket to his wife. He contacted us and asked if we would field his wife if he got married, and we agreed.”