By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Lucknow: All India Muslim Forum (AIMF) is planning to contest eight Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections, in UP, Delhi, and Assam. Chairman of the Forum, Dr. M.K. Sherwani and President Syed Rafat made the announcement last week in Lucknow.
Criticizing BSP for its past links with BJP; and SP for its friendship with Kalyan Singh and Sakshi Maharaj, AIMF said that all political parties do ‘fraud’ on the name of secularism. Failure of SP and the Congress to reach an alliance shows that they are drivn by their own “selfish motivies,” and therefore not much different between these parties and communal BJP.
Welcoming emergence of new Muslim political parties like Ulama Council and Peace Party, AIMF said that it is a sign of increasing political awareness in the community.
But it asked these new political parties headed by Muslims to withdraw their candidate in support of AIMF candidates since AIMF has the experience and a cadre base.
AIMF promised to extend its support to political parties launched by Muslims and work with them in the future.
AIMF candidates:
1. Lucknow (U.P.) – Dr. Aftab Ahmed
2. Qeiserganj (U.P.) – Maulana Ateequr-rehman
3. Barabanki (U.P.)– Kamlesh Kumar Gautam
4. Unnao (U.P.) – Ajai Awasthi
5. Chandauli (U.P.) – Syed Sarfaraz Ahmed
6. Sitapur (U.P.)- Irfan Ahmed
7. Kalyamber (Asam) – Maulana Abul Qasim (Qari and Mufti)
8. South East ( Delhi ) Syed Feroze (International player)