By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net
Malegaon: No party is sure about getting the majority as neither they formed any alliances in the coming Municipal election of Malegaon that is going to poll on April 15th, 2012. Muslim-dominated textile town Malegaon has 80 seats in 40 Municipal wards and a long history of Power loom sector.
“No party may get majority in this election, Mufti Ismail, a Deoband alumnus; led Third Front may lead in the election” analyzed Mohiuddin a journalist. He said that there is a triangular fight between the Third Front, Congress and Janata Dal Secular led by Nehal Ahmed, senior most political leader in Malegaon. He also informed that the Mayor of Malegaon, this time, would be a woman because of the reservation policy.
Interestingly, two Malegaon blast accused, Shabbir Masiullah, Zahid Abdul Majeed along with Nafeesa wife of Dr.Salman Farsi, the third accused are contesting the election as Samajwadi Party candidates. Mumbai High Court rejected the application of Dr. Salman Farsi to allow him to contest election.
Response to these accused seems to be poor, SP may turned to be insignificant because they don’t have any local leadership, said a senior journalist.
Buland Iqbal son of Nehal Ahmed senior leader of Janata Dal Secular said that we fought for these accused in the streets but feel that politics is not a good idea for them. He said, “We believe that they should not enter the politics unless set free by the court.”
Mufti Ismail Qasmi, a Deoband alumnus formed the “Teesra Mahaz,” or the Third Front against Congress in the last election of 2006, won 28 seats. Third Front supported Abdul Malik Mohammed Yunus as a Mayor of Malegaon but he joined NCP and is contesting election against them.
When TCN asked Mufti Sahab about the blast accused contesting the election he said,” They came to us for the tickets but I denied because we did not want to take political gain out of the sympathy towards them.”
Secondly he said that at present whole Malegaon is with them if they will contest with some party people will labeled them and can change their opinion. Lastly he said they are not yet set free by the court and still are accused so they should wait.
Mufti Ismail is hopeful of getting 35 seats in this election and get their mayor elected.
He denied the charges that he is using religion for politics. He said, “If I do use religions the election commission will take action against us and the people who are alleging us can go to court after the election.” He said people will vote for us on the developmental work done by us.
On the Raj Thackrey statement he said, “Raj Thackrey tried to destroy the peaceful election campaign in Malegaon. No Pakistani or Bangladeshi arrested here. On the other hand Hemant Karkare exposed the Abhinav Bharat group.” He also said that Raj Thackrey is not interested in Malegaon Municipal. He was campaigning for the next Assembly election.
Emergence of Raj Thackrey led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Nashik where the party got its first Mayor was another chapter in the making till the anti Muslim statement of Raj Thackrey in Malegaon.
Mufti Ismail led Third Front is contesting on 56 seats- 52 among them are Muslims, Janata Dal Secular on 56 seats and supporting two independent candidates, Congress on 65, NCP on 54, Samajwadi Party on 36.
26 candidates of Shiv Sena-RPI combined is the only alliance contesting Municipal election. Interestingly BJP has given tickets to 16 Muslim candidates out of 24, whereas Raj Thackrey led MNS who termed Malegaon and Bhiwandi as the *Safe Heaven for Terrorists* put forth 16 Muslims as candidates out of
25 seats that it is contesting.
At present there are 60 sitting Muslim corporators in the present Municipal Corporation of 77 seats.