By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Malegaon : As the time for elections to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor, etc. slated for Friday is coming nigh, the Indian Muslim Congress Party, a new party floated by Ulama and Muslim community leaders in the communally sensitive town of Malegaon in Maharashtra – which emerged as the single largest party winning 26 seats in the 72-member Malegaon Municipal Corporation – now finds it difficult to democratically capture the civic body. And the only option left with the IMCP now seems to be sitting in the opposition.
It tried its level best to hatch alliance either with Shiv Sena or Congress or Janata Dal (S) on the professed issues of vikas (development) and bhaichara (communal harmony) of this neglected power loom city, but the circumstances prevailing over there seem to teach this Muslim party a lesson for standing in defiance of the established party – something that may well be called a travesty of democracy.
As the latest twist in this ever-changing game of politics stands here Wednesday, the alliance between the IMCP and the Congress came apart in the face of opposition from IMCP's supporters. On Tuesday night, protesters had gheraoed IMCP leader Mufti Muhammed Ismael to show their displeasure against his decision to join hands with the Congress. The agitators contended that it was wrong to share power with a party against whom the IMCP had fought the recent civic elections.
The IMCP and the Congress had signed a pact at a meeting with CM Vilasrao Deshmukh Monday. Under the agreement, the former was to get the post of mayor and the Congress that of deputy mayor.
"In view of the incensed feelings in Malegaon after our tie-up, we had no option but to call off the alliance," Ismael said Wednesday. He, however, alleged that many of the protesters were supporters of former Janata Dal (S) MLA Nihal Ahmed.
The IMCP is now appealing to the JD(S) to "give unconditional support to the IMCP on the issue of development." The IMCP's negotiations with the JD(S), which has 12 corporators, had broken down earlier on the issue of power sharing.
"We had four options, of which sitting in the opposition was one. However, the people of Malegaon rejected it on the grounds that we were the single largest party. Other options like a tie-up with the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the JD(S) have also not worked out. In such circumstances, we are leaving the decision to the people of Malegaon," said Ismael.
Ismael alleged that some local Sena leaders, who did not want the tie-up with the IMCP to take place, had leaked out names of some Independents and corporators belonging to smaller parties, who were planning to join hands with the IMCP. He further alleged that this ensured that the Congress could "buy the corporators over," just an hour after the IMCP held talks with the Sena.