Home Articles Madhya Pradesh elections: An analysis of Muslim representations

Madhya Pradesh elections: An analysis of Muslim representations

By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net,

If Muslims are most disenfranchised anywhere in India, it is in Madhya Pradesh. According to the 2001 census, Muslims are 6.4% of the population of the state but only 2 of the 230 assembly seats are represented by Muslims. The dismal Muslim representation is not expected to improve in this year’s election.

Muslims are more than 10% in nine districts of the state and can play a significant role in deciding the winner of more than a dozen assembly constituencies. Congress has been able to find Muslim candidates for only five of the 228 seats that it is contesting.

After Gujarat, Karnataka, and Chhattisgarh, MP is yet another state where Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has not been able to find any Muslim candidate. This is a disturbing achievement for a national party with aspirations to come back to power in India.

Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have fielded a number of Muslim candidates but they are marginal players in this state. SP has given tickets to 16 Muslims out of 187 seats that it is contesting. BSP is contesting 228 seats and has fielded 12 Muslims.

In the last Assembly (12th Assembly), Arif Aqueel (Bhopal North) of the Congress and Hamid Kazi (Burhanpur) of NCP were the only two Muslim MLAs. Situation was little better in the 11th Assembly with three Muslim MLAs. Arif Aqueel (Bhopal North), Sayeed Ahmad (Satna), and Haji Ghulam Sibtain (Badwara) all belonged to the Congress.

Next Madhya Pradesh Assembly will most likely see two and possibly three Muslim MLAs. In a state where Muslim literacy rate (70%) is much higher than literacy among Hindus (63%), it is a surprise why Muslims have been systematically been disenfranchised here.

In multi-party contests SP has been able to win Chhatarpur seat in the last two elections. Abid Siddiqui of SP has a slim chance at this seat, if the Congress and BSP candidates do not take away too many votes away from him.

In the last three assembly elections in Satna, Sayeed Ahmad has won once (1998) and came runner up twice (1993 and 2003). In the last election BJP candidate Shankar Lal Tiwari polled 42% of the votes whereas Mr. Ahmad could get only 23% and BSP a close third with 22% of the polled votes. Even in 1998 when Sayeed Ahmad won this seat he was able to get only 32% of the votes. It is very difficult for Sayeed Ahmad to win this seat this time.

Jabalpur North is a new constituency created after the delimitation exercise. Both Congress and BSP have fielded Muslim candidates from this seat. Mohd Kadir Soni of Congress and Aziz Qureshi of BSP are trying their luck from here. Kadir Soni is a strong candidate and can win this seat.

Arif Aquil first won Bhopal North seat in 1990 contesting as an independent. In 1993, he contested on Janta Dal ticket and lost. Since 1998 he is with the Congress and winning ever since, this year should not be an exception.

Bhopal Central has a number of Muslim candidates. Nasir Islam of the Congress, Syed Nisar Ali of Samajwadi Party, Hifzur Rehman of BSP and a number of Independents. Splitting of Muslim votes will help BJP and very slim chance of this seat returning a Muslim candidate.

Dewas is a strong BJP seat with direct contest between BJP and the Congress and BJP has been able to win this seat last three elections with huge margins. Haji Harun Bhai of Congress does not have much of a chance.

Hamid Kazi of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is the sitting MLA from Burhanpur. His victory margin was 4% defeating BJP candidate. Congress candidate who came third polled 25% of the votes. This year, there is no congress candidate and therefore there is a direct contest between BJP and the NCP and Hamid Kazi has good chance of winning this seat.

Narela is another constituency that has over 40% Muslims and Mohd Izhar Khan of BSP has a slight chance to win this seat.

Historically, Muslim institutions have been very weak in Madhya Pradesh and therefore leadership of Muslims has not been able to emerge in the state. This election will continue the sad trend of Muslim representation even in most favorable scenario.


2008 election candidates:

BSP: (Total contesting 228)

DR. ABDUL MUJIB KHAN ADVOCATE 74-Rewa

AZIZ QURESHI 98-Jabalpur Uttar

SHOAIB BEG S/O IKRAM BEG 143-Silwani

HAJI MOHMMADS SHARIF 147-Sironj

IKRAM SIDDIQUI 150-Bhopal Uttar

MOHD. IZHAR KHAN 151-Narela

HIFZUR REHMAN (CHHOTE MIYA) 153-Bhopal Madhya

MUBARIK KHAN 182-Badwah

AZIZUDDIN SHEIKH 185-Khargone

IFTIKHAR MUNNA ANSARI(MUNNA BHAI) 206-Indore-3

HAJI SHAIKH NIYAZMOHAMMED 216-Ujjain Uttar

MASOOD KHAN ADVOCATE 222-Jaora

INC: (228)

SAYEED AHMAD 63-Satna

MOHD KADIR SONI 98-Jabalpur Uttar

ARIF AQUEEL 150-Bhopal Uttar

NASIR ISLAM 153-Bhopal Madhya

HAJI HARUN BHAI 171-Dewas

CPI: (21)

NOORMOHAMMED ADVOCATE 216-Ujjain Uttar

NCP: (3)

HAMID KAZI 180-Burhanpur

SP: (187)

AFJAL KHAN 25-Shivpuri

DR. ASHIK ALI 41-Sagar

ABID SIDDIQUI 51-Chhatarpur

HAFIJ MD. ISLAM 74-Rewa

ASHARAF ALI ANSARI 78-Sihawal

ZAFAR PATEL 115-Seoni

AFZAL KHAN (SHERU BHAI) 141-Bhojpur

ASLAM GORI 147-Sironj

SY. ABDUL ZALEEL URF SHIRAZ AHMED 151-Narela

SYED. NISAR ALI 153-Bhopal Madhya

NAUSHAD KHAN 159-Sehore

ISHTYAQ NABI 161-Biaora

NAFFES MANSHA KHAN 180-Burhanpur

AFGAN KHAN 185-Khargone

QAZI HIFZURRAHMAN 216-Ujjain Uttar

ABDUL RAJAK 217-Ujjain Dakshin