By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: There are just 11 Muslim councilors in the 272-seat Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Will the number go up in the elections going to be held on 15th April? Difficult to say ‘Yes’, because the party which has overwhelming majority of the sitting Muslim councilors has fielded very few from the minority community though it is contesting all 272 seats alone.
Of 11 Muslim councilors, 8 are from Congress, 1 from Bharatiya Janata Party while 2 are from Lok Janshakti Party of Ram Vilas Paswan.
Sitting Muslim Councilors in MCD
Sl. No. |
Ward |
Councilor |
Party |
1 |
Sultanpur Majra (W) |
Nafisa Khatoon |
Indian National Congress |
2 |
Jama Masjid (G) |
Khurram Iqbal |
Lok Janshakti Party |
3 |
Bazar Sita Ram (G) |
Mahmood Zia |
Indian National Congress |
4 |
Turkman Gate (G) |
Ubead Iqbal |
Lok Janshakti Party |
5 |
Qasabpura (G) |
Mohd.Imran |
Bharatiya Janata Party |
6 |
Nizamuddin (G) |
Farhad Suri |
Indian National Congress |
7 |
Zakir Nagar (G) |
Shoaeb Danish |
Indian National Congress |
8 |
Okhla (G) |
Jamaluddin |
Indian National Congress |
9 |
Chauhan Bangar (G) |
Razia Sultana |
Indian National Congress |
10 |
Nehru Nagar (G) |
Taj Mohd. |
Indian National Congress |
11 |
Mustafabad (W) |
Sahakeela Begum |
Indian National Congress |
The party has replaced some sitting Muslim councilors with new faces from the community. Mahmood Zia, councilor of ward Bazar Sita Ram has been replaced with Seema Tahira. While it has again given ticket to Shoaeb Danish in Zakir Nagar ward but has replaced Jamaluddin of Okhla ward with Samira Begum.
This time the election for Zakir Nagar ward has attracted more media attraction thanks to Ziaur Rahman in the fray. Rahman is one of the Azamgarh youths arrested after the Batla House encounter and made accused in Delhi serial blasts case of September 2008. Rahman is contesting the poll from jail in Ahmedabad. He is also an accused in Ahmedabad serial blasts.
The Congress has fielded 19 Muslim candidates while the BJP has fielded 5 Muslims.
Muslim candidates of Congress
Sl. No. |
Ward |
Candidates |
Party |
1 |
Mangolpuri North |
Meena Begum |
Congress |
2 |
Jama Masjid |
Asim Ahmed Khan |
Congress |
3 |
Bazar Sitaram |
Seema Tahira |
Congress |
4 |
Turkman Gate |
Mirza Fazil Beg |
Congress |
5 |
Idgah Road |
Saima Riaz |
Congress |
6 |
Ballimaran |
Syed Irfan Mir |
Congress |
7 |
Qasab Pura |
Zahida Qureshi |
Congress |
8 |
Dev Nagar |
Kamal Mohanpuria |
Congress |
9 |
Nizamuddin |
Farhad Suri |
Congress |
10 |
Sangam Vihar Central |
Israt Nizam Ansari |
Congress |
11 |
Zakir Nagar |
Shoeb Danish |
Congress |
12 |
Okhla |
Samira Begam |
Congress |
13 |
Ghondli |
Ishrat Jahan |
Congress |
14 |
Chauhan Banger |
Razia Sultana |
Congress |
15 |
Zaafrabad (Jafrabad) |
Jamir Ahmed Munna |
Congress |
16 |
Kardam Puri |
Fauziya Khatoon |
Congress |
17 |
Janta Colony |
Zakir Khan |
Congress |
18 |
Nehru Vihar |
Taj Mohd. |
Congress |
19 |
Khajoori Khas |
Hazi Aas Mohd. |
Congress |
Muslim candidates of BJP
Sl. No. |
Ward |
Candidates |
Party |
1 |
Jama Masjid |
Mustafa Qureshi |
BJP |
2 |
Minto Road |
Atif Rashid |
BJP |
3 |
Turkman Gate |
Julfkar Qureshi |
BJP |
4 |
Qasab Pura |
Noor Bano |
BJP |
5 |
Zakir Nagar |
Yasser Ali |
BJP |
Related Story:
http://twocircles.net/2012apr14/%E2%80%98terror%E2%80%99_tag_ziaur_rahman_batla_house_contests_delhi_civic_poll.html