By Abdul Hameed, TwoCircles.net
Mumbai: The Congress and NCP have disappointed Muslims with the former including only one Muslim and the latter none in their first lists of candidates. A senior Muslim leader told TwoCircles.net that Congress can still remedy the situation by fielding Muslim candidates.
As per the pre-poll agreement Congress and NCP will contest 26-22 seats for the 48 seats of Maharashtra. Nationalist Congress Party had declared names of 18 candidates in its first list while the Congress 17 names including the Union Minister A R Antulay from Raigard constituency. The talks among the top cadres of both the parties are on for the remaining seats where some more Muslims may possibly be fielded.
However, the first list has created displeasure and anger among the Muslim community the majority of which has so far supported Congress and NCP.
Notably, Muslim community which makes up for nearly 20% of Maharashtra population this year has been demanding from Congress that at least five candidates should be from the community.
Farooq Azam, the president of Maharashtra Minorities Front while condemning the decision of the parties told TwoCircles.net, ‘Despite making promise to nominate five Muslim candidates from Maharashtra the Congress does not seem to be serious towards it. The nomination papers have not been given to the announced candidates; the party can still appoint at least three more Muslim candidates- Muzaffar Husain from Bhiwandi, Husain Dalwai from Nagpur and Saleem Zakaria from North Mumbai. We also demand NCP to field one Muslim candidate from North Mumbai.’
Showing his anger over the announcement, Muhammad Ayyub of Nanded commented, ‘It has shown the real face of Congress that is habitual of promise and not practice.’
‘It is not a matter who is nominated as candidate. We want any one who can raise voice for us in the Parliament. Of course, every party wants to field the candidate who can win a seat. The Muslim dominated areas are already infested with too many Muslim candidates,’ said claims Gulzar Ahmad a senior of member of Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Maharashtra.