By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The political party Muslims hate the most is BJP. The political party which often wins Muslim-dominated seats is also BJP. Interesting, isn’t it? Over a decade this was the phenomena in the country’s largest state Uttar Pradesh. In the recent Lok Sabha elections Bihar has left UP far behind.
Out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, Bharatiya Janata Party has won 12 seats. In seven of these 12 seats, Muslim population is between 40-20 percent. They have always decided the fate of the candidates. These seats have always been the stronghold of secular parties – the parties shamefully responsible for the rise and growth of the BJP since mid-1980s.
Barring Kishanganj, top seven Muslim-dominated seats have gone to the BJP, thanks to the notorious division of secular votes. No alliance between Congress party and RJD-LJP sub-alliance in this election was a lovely gift to the saffron party. Katihar (38% of Muslim population) was won by BJP’s Nikhil Kumar Choudhary with a margin of 14 thousand votes from his nearest rival Tariq Anwar of NCP while LJP polled 45773 votes, BSP 15760 votes and CPI (ML) 32035 votes. Had there been a consensus candidate from secular parties, this story would not have got space here.
|
Ahmad Ashfaque Karim |
LJP |
45773 |
|
Nikhil Kumar Choudhary |
BJP |
269834 |
|
Madan Mohan Nishad |
BSP |
15760 |
|
Shah Tariq Anwar |
NCP |
255819 |
|
Mahboob Alam |
CPI(ML)(L) |
32035 |
|
Mohammad Hamid Mubarak |
IND |
23894 |
Similar is the case with Araria which has 29% Muslim population. The difference between BJP (the winner) and LJP (its nearest rival) in this seat was of 22 thousand votes while Congress and BSP polled together 56 thousand votes.
|
Zakir Hussain Khan |
LJP |
260240 |
|
Pradeep Kumar Singh |
BJP |
282742 |
|
Raja Raman Bhaskar |
BSP |
10578 |
|
Dr. Shakeel Ahmad Khan |
INC |
49649 |
|
Ayajudin |
RKJP |
4179 |
For the same reason, Madhubani (25%), Darbhanga (22%), Sitamarhi (21%), West Champaran (21%) and East Champaran (21%) went to the BJP.
Top three Muslim-dominated seats of Godda (25%), Rajmahal (25%) and Jamshedpur (22%) in Bihar’s neighbor Jharkhand were also bagged by the BJP.
Compared to Bihar and Jharkhand in Hindi belt, it seems, UP Muslims have voted rather tactically and sensibly. There are at least 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in this state where Muslims constitute 50-20 percent of the population. BJP this time could win only two seats from this segment. The party won Meerut (31%) and Lucknow (23%).
|
Malook Nagar |
BSP |
184991 |
|
Mughis Ahmad Gilani |
CPI |
3755 |
|
Rajendra Agarwal |
BJP |
232137 |
|
Rajendra Sharma |
INC |
61003 |
|
Shahid Mazoor |
SP |
183527 |
|
Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta |
BSP |
133610 |
|
Nafisa Ali Sodhi |
SP |
61457 |
|
Rita Bahuguna Joshi |
INC |
163127 |
|
Lal Ji Tondon |
BJP |
204028 |
Since September 19, 2008 Azamgarh in UP was in the national and international news for the Batla House encounter in which two Azmi youths, allegedly terror suspects, were killed. Dozens of Azmis were picked from here and there in terror cases. Muslims in Azamgarh (15%) blamed the BJP and its eastern Uttar Pradesh leaders for the whole episode. Months before the Lok Sabha poll they said BJP wanted to communalize the situation here for electoral gains. At the end of the day the BJP indeed won the seat, but not by polarizing the Hindu vote, but by the division of secular votes. While BSP got about 2 lac votes and SP about 1.25 lac votes the Ulema Council-backed Independent candidate Dr Javed Akhtar got about 60 thousand votes. Result? Ramakant Yadav of BJP laughed his way to the Lok Sabha with 2.50 lac votes.
|
Akbar Ahmad Dumpy |
BSP |
198609 |
|
Durga Prasad Yadav |
SP |
123844 |
|
Ramakant Yadav |
BJP |
247648 |
|
Santosh Kumar Singh |
INC |
31159 |
|
Dr. Javed Akhtar |
IND |
59270 |
In the east of India, Assam (Muslims constitute 30% of state population) also gave big smiles to the BJP. In eight of 14 Lok Sabha constituencies Muslims are between 56-25 percent. The saffron party has won five seats from this segment.
|
Anil Raja |
INC |
335541 |
|
Rajen Gohain |
BJP |
380921 |
|
Sirajuddin Ajmal |
AUDF |
245155 |
|
Kabindra Purkaystha |
BJP |
243532 |
|
Dipak Bhattacharjee |
CPM |
11831 |
|
Badruddin Ajmal |
AUDF |
202062 |
|
Sontosh Mohan Dev |
INC |
197244 |
Following is a list of 74 Lok Sabha constituencies where Muslims are 20% or above. The list of winners and runners-up in these seats will put the case clearly.
| Sr. No. |
State |
PC |
% Muslim Population |
Winner |
Party |
Runner Up |
Party | Winner party in 2004 |
|
1. |
UP |
Rampur |
50% |
Jaya Prada Nahata |
SP |
BEGUM NOOR BANO URF MEHTAB ZAMANI BEGUM |
INC |
SP |
|
2. |
UP |
Moradabad |
41% |
Mohammed Azharuddin |
INC |
RAJIV CHANNA |
BSP |
SP |
|
3. |
UP |
Saharanpur |
39% |
Jagdish Singh Rana |
BSP |
RASHEED MASOOD |
SP |
SP |
| 4. |
UP |
Bijnor |
39% |
Sanjay Singh Chauhan |
RLD |
SHAHID SIDDIQUI |
BSP |
RLD |
| 5. |
UP |
Amroha |
38% |
Devendra Nagpal |
RLD |
MEHBOOB ALI |
SP |
IND |
| 6. |
UP |
Meerut |
31% |
Rajendra Agarwal |
BJP |
MALOOK NAGAR |
BSP |
BSP |
| 7. |
UP |
Kairana |
30% |
Tabassum Begum |
BSP |
HUKUM SINGH |
BJP |
RLD |
| 8. |
UP |
Bareilly |
29% |
Praveen Singh Aron |
INC |
SANTOSH GANGWAR |
BJP |
BJP |
| 9. |
UP |
Muzaffarnagar |
28% |
Kadir Rana |
BSP |
ANURADHA CHAUDHARY |
RLD |
SP |
| 10. |
UP |
Sambhal |
28% |
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Barq |
BSP |
IQBAL MEHMOOD |
SP |
SP |
| 11. |
UP |
Domairiganj |
27% |
Jagdambika Pal |
INC |
JAI PRATAP SINGH |
BJP |
BSP |
| 12. |
UP |
Bahraich |
23% |
Kamal Kishor |
INC |
LAL MANI PRASAD |
BSP |
SP |
| 13. |
UP |
Kaiserganj |
23% |
Brijbhushan Sharan Singh |
SP |
SURENDRA NATH AWASTHI |
BSP |
SP |
| 14. |
UP |
Lucknow |
23% |
Lal Ji Tandon |
BJP |
RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI |
INC |
BJP |
| 15. |
UP |
Shahjahanpur |
21% |
Mithlesh |
SP |
KRISHNA RAJ |
BJP |
INC |
| 16. |
UP |
Barabanki |
21% |
P.l.punia |
INC |
RAM SAGAR |
SP |
BSP |
| 17. |
Bihar |
Kishaagunj |
67% |
Mohammad Asrarul Haque |
INC |
SYED MAHMOOD ASHRAF |
JD(U) |
RJD |
| 18. |
Bihar |
Katihar |
38% |
Nikhil Kumar Choudhary |
BJP |
SHAH TARIQ ANWAR |
NCP |
BJP |
| 19. |
Bihar |
Purnea |
30% |
Uday Singh Alias Pappu |
BJP |
SHANTI PRIYA |
IND |
BJP |
| 20. |
Bihar |
Araria |
29% |
Pradeep Kumar Singh |
BJP |
ZAKIR HUSSAIN KHAN |
LJP |
BJP |
| 21. |
Bihar |
Madhubani |
24% |
Hukm Deo Narayan Yadav |
BJP |
ABDULBARI SIDDIKI | RJD |
INC |
| 22. |
Bihar |
Darbhanga |
22% |
Kirti Azad |
BJP |
M. Ali Ashraf Fatmi |
RJD |
RJD |
| 23. |
Bihar |
Sitamarhi |
21% |
Arjun Roy |
JDU |
SAMIR KUMAR MAHASETH |
INC |
RJD |
| 24. |
Bihar |
West Champaran |
21% |
Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal |
BJP |
PRAKASH JHA |
LJP |
new |
| 25. |
Bihar |
East Champaran |
20% |
Radha Mohan Singh |
BJP |
AKHILESH PRASAD SINGH |
RJD |
new |
| 26. |
Jharkhand |
Godda |
25% |
Nishikant Dubey |
BJP |
FURKAN ANSARI |
INC |
INC |
| 27. |
Jharkhand |
Rajmahal |
25% |
Devidhan Besra |
BJP |
HEMLAL MURMU |
JMM |
JMM |
| 28. |
Jharkhand |
Jamshedpur |
20% |
Arjun Munda |
BJP |
SUMAN MAHATO |
JMM |
JMM |
| 29. |
West Bengal |
Jangipur |
60% |
Pranab Mukherjee |
INC |
MRIGANKA SEKHAR BHATTACHARYA |
CPM |
INC |
| 30. |
West Bengal |
Murshidabad |
59% |
Abdul Mannan Hossain |
INC |
ANISUR RAHAMAN SARKAR |
CPM |
INC |
| 31. |
WEst Bengal |
Raiganj |
56% |
Deepa Dasmunsi |
INC |
BIRESWAR LAHIRI |
CPM |
INC |
| 32. |
West Bengal |
Berhampur |
44% |
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury |
INC |
PRAMOTHES MUKHERJEE |
RSP |
INC |
| 33. |
West Bengal |
Bashirhat |
44% |
Sk. Nurul Islam |
AITC |
AJAY CHAKRABORTY |
CPI |
CPI |
| 34. |
West Bengal |
Malda Utter |
41% |
MAUSAM NOOR |
INC |
SAILEN SARKAR |
CPM |
INC |
| 35. |
West Bengal |
Malda Dakshin | 41% | ABU HASEM KHAN CHOUDHURY | INC | ABDUR RAZZAQUE | CPM | |
| 36. |
West Bengal |
Krishnanagar |
33% |
Tapas Paul |
AITC |
JYOTIRMOYEE SIKDAR |
CPM |
CPM |
| 37. |
West Bengal |
Diamond Harbor |
33% |
Somendra Nath Mitra |
AITC |
SAMIK LAHIRI |
CPM |
CPM |
| 38. |
West Bengal |
Joynagar |
30% |
Dr. Tarun Mondal |
IND |
NIMAI BARMAN |
RSP |
RSP |
| 39. |
West Bengal |
Birbhum |
36 |
Satabdi Roy |
AITC |
BRAJA MUKHERJEE |
CPM |
CPM |
| 40. |
West Bengal |
Bolpur |
25% |
Doctor Ram Chandra Dome |
CPM |
ASIT KUMAR MAL |
INC |
CPM |
| 41. |
West Bengal |
Cooch Behar |
23% |
Nripendra Nath Roy |
AIFB |
ARGHYA ROY PRADHAN |
AITC |
AIFB |
| 42. |
West Bengal |
Uluberia |
22% |
Sultan Ahmed |
AITC |
HANNAN MOLLAH |
CPM |
CPM |
| 43. |
West Bengal |
Mathurapur |
21% |
Choudhury Mohan Jatua |
AITC |
ANIMESH NASKAR |
CPM |
CPM |
| 44. |
West Bengal |
Jadvpur |
20% |
Kabir Suman |
AITC |
SUJAN CHAKRABORTY |
CPM |
CPM |
| 45. |
West Bengal |
Burdwan |
20% |
SK. SAIDUL HAQUE |
CPM |
NARGIS BEGAM |
INC |
CPM |
| 46. |
Assam |
Dhubri |
56% |
Badruddin Ajmal |
AUDF |
ANWAR HUSSAIN |
INC |
INC |
| 47. |
Assam |
Karimganj |
45% |
Lalit Mohan Suklabaidya |
INC |
RAJESH MALLAH |
AUDF |
INC |
| 48. |
Assam |
Barpeta |
39% |
Ismail Hussain |
INC |
BHUPEN RAY |
AGP |
INC |
| 49. |
Assam |
Naogaon |
33% |
Rajen Gohain |
BJP |
ANIL RAJA |
INC |
BJP |
| 50. |
Assam |
Silchar |
30% |
Kabindra Purkayastha |
BJP |
BADRUDDIN AJMAL |
AUDF |
INC |
| 51. |
Assam |
Kaliabor |
30% |
Dip Gogoi |
INC |
GUNIN HAZARIKA |
AGP |
INC |
| 52. |
Assam |
Guahati |
25% |
Bijoya Chakravarty |
BJP |
CAPT. ROBIN BORDOLOI |
INC |
INC |
| 53. |
Assam |
Mangaldoi |
24% |
Ramen Deka |
BJP |
MADHAB RAJBANGSHI |
INC |
BJP |
| 54. |
Maharashtra |
Bhivandi |
40 |
Taware Suresh Kashinath |
INC |
PATIL JAGANNATH SHIVRAM |
BJP |
new |
| 55. |
Maharashtra |
Dhule |
30% |
SONAWANE PRATAP NARAYANRAO |
BJP |
AMARISHBHAI RASIKLAL PATEL |
INC |
BJP |
| 56. |
Maharashtra |
Mumbai N.W |
20% |
Ad.kamat Gurudas Vasant |
INC |
GAJANAN KIRTIKAR |
SHS |
INC |
| 57. |
Maharashtra |
Mumbai S |
20% |
Deora Milind Murli |
INC |
BALA NANDGAONKAR |
MNS |
INC |
| 58. |
Maharashtra |
Aurangabad |
20% |
Chandrakant Khaire |
SHS |
UTTAMSINGH RAJDHARSINGH PAWAR |
INC |
SHS |
| 59. |
Andhra Pradesh |
Hyderabad |
32% |
Asaduddin Owaisi |
AIMIM |
ZAHID ALI KHAN |
TDP |
AIMIM |
| 60. |
Karnataka |
Gulbarga |
20% |
Mallikarjun Kharge |
INC |
REVUNAIK BELAMGI |
BJP |
INC |
| 61. |
Kerala |
Ponani |
66% |
E.t. Muhammed Basheer |
MUL |
Dr. HUSSAIN RANDATHANI |
IND |
MUL |
| 62. |
Kerala |
Malappuram | 56% |
E. Ahamed |
MUL |
T.K. HAMZA |
CPM |
CPM |
| 63. | Madhya Pradesh | Betul | 30% | JYOTI DHURVE | BJP | OJHARAM EVANE | INC | BJP |
| 64. | Madhya Pradesh | Mandsaur | 30% | MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN | INC | DR. LAXMINARAYAN PANDEY | BJP | BJP |
| 65. |
Haryana |
Gurgaon |
38% |
Inderjit Singh |
INC |
ZAKIR HUSSAIN |
BSP |
New |
| 66. |
Haryana |
Faridabad |
30% |
Avtar Singh Bhadana |
INC |
RAMCHANDER BAINDA |
BJP |
INC |
| 67. |
Delhi |
N.E Delhi |
21.6% |
Jai Prakash Agarwal |
INC |
B.L.SHARMA PREM |
BJP |
INC |
| 68. |
J & K |
Baramula |
97% |
Sharief Ud Din Shariq |
JKN |
MOHAMMAD DILAWAR MIR |
JKPDP |
JKN |
| 69. |
J & K |
Anantnag |
95.5% |
|
JKN |
PEER MOHD HUSSAIN |
JKPDP |
JKPDP |
| 70. |
J & K |
Srinagar |
90% |
Farooq Abdullah |
JKN |
IFTIKHAR HUSSAIN ANSARI |
JKPDP |
JKN |
| 71. |
J & K |
Ladakh |
46% |
Hassan Khan |
IND |
PHUNTSOG NAMGYAL |
INC |
IND |
| 72. |
J & K |
Udampur |
31% |
Ch. Lal Singh |
INC |
DR. NIRMAL SINGH |
BJP |
INC |
| 73. |
J & K |
Jammu |
28% |
Madan Lal Sharma |
INC |
LILA KARAN SHARMA |
BJP |
INC |
| 74. |
Lakshdweep |
Lakshdweep |
95% |
Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed A.b |
INC | DR. P. POOKUNHIKOYA | NCP | JD(U) |