39 Muslim candidates among 228 of Trinamool Congress

By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,

Kolkata: The race for Muslim vote is on among political parties fighting the West Bengal Assembly elections 2011. After CPI-M led Left Front released the list of its Muslim candidates, its main rival Trinamool Congress (TMC) of Mamata Banerjee, popularly predicted as next CM of the state, has also announced to field about 40 Muslim candidates.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced the list of 228 candidates for the 294-seat Assembly in West Bengal. The party has left 64 seats for its ally Congress and 2 seats for Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI).

Out of 228 candidates of TMC only 39 are Muslims that include 6 women. Mamata has always shouted in favour of more Muslim representation in legislature, rather in proportion to their population. But when it came to take action, she did not. According to the Census 2001, 25.25% of the West Bengal population is Muslim. But she fielded only 39 Muslims that is just 13.26% of the total 228 candidates of the party. On that front at least, the Left Front has done better – out of its 294 candidates, 56 are Muslims that is 19% about 6% more than TMC though it is still less than the proportion. However, it can be hoped that some more of the seats (66) the TMC has left for allies can be given to Muslim candidates by the allies.

However, for many of the TMC Muslim candidates the win will not be easy as they have been fielded against sitting Muslim ministers.

TMC has fielded some Muslim candidates against Muslim ministers of Left Front. Against State Land & Land Reform Minister Abdur Rajjak Molla TMC candidate is Advocate Idris Ali at the Canning East constituency. Idris Ali was ex Congress Minority Cell Chairman for long time. Before the Lok Sabha election in 2009 he joined the TMC. Also he is holding chairman of All India Minority Forum. Against the State Minority Affairs & Madrasa Education Minister Dr Abdus Sattar, TMC had fielded Mr Rafikur Rahman at Amdanga constituency. Rafikur Rahman is a local Muslim leader of TMC.

Ex Minister of Govt of West Bengal and Muslim league leader late Hassanuzzaman’s son Dr Nuruzzaman is the rival candidate of State food processing Minister Dr Murtaza Hossain at Deganga constituency.

Ex Minister and one of the founders of Communist party in West Bengal late Mansoor Habibullah’s son-in-law retired Judge Justice Noor-e Alam Chowdhury is a TMC candidate at Murarai constituency.

[photo by http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in]