Zeeshan said it was wrong on the part of the party if it removed him because his father had joined the NCP (Ajit Pawar). He added he wasn’t an isolated case. “There are many leaders in the Congress whose sons, brothers or fathers are in the other parties. Did they sack such leaders? Then, why have they picked a Muslim like me?” he questioned.  Zeeshan said he had his options open. “When my father (Baba Siddique) quit the Congress, I said I was still in the Congress. But henceforth all options are open to me. I will talk to my voters and decide the next move.”

The MLA talked about Rahul Gandhi’s team’s rude behaviour during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. “Rahul ji is good. He is doing what he is expected to do. But people around him are out to destroy the Congress. They act as if they have been given a contract to finish the party,” he said, adding that he was body-shamed when he wished to walk with Rahul.