By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Chennai: Tamil Nadu which had sent two Muslim MPs in 2009 this time will be sending only Anwar Raja who despite his own community opposition won, riding on AIADMK wave in the state.
There were five major Muslim contestants in the fray, Abdur Rehman of Indian Union Muslim league from Vellore, Haroon Rashid of Congress from Theni, Hyder Ali of Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) from Mayiladathurai, MH Nazeem of DMK from Puducherry, and Mohammed Jaleel of DMK and Anwar Raja of AIADMK both from Ramanathapuram.
A. Anwar Raja
Both the sitting Muslim MPs Abdur Rehman and Haroon Rashid had to face a depressing defeats at the hand of regional giants.
Indian Union Muslim League got a big blow when its only seat in Tamil Nadu was snatched away by AIADMK. IUML contested only from Vellore in DMK alliance. In last 2009 election IUML contested on DMK symbol but this time they tested their luck on its own symbol of Ladder.
The result its sitting MP Abdur Rehman finished third getting 2,05,896 votes, BJP got the second spot, Sengutavan of AIADMK won the seat scoring 3,83,719 votes.
The national resentment against Congress was also witnessed in Theni where it’s sitting MP J.M. Haroon Rasheed trailed at 4th position far behind all the major regional parties getting just 71,432 votes. Parthipan of AIADMK won the seat getting 5,71,254 votes.
Tamil Nadu’s first regional Muslim party MMK contested from Mayiladuthurai in DMK alliance, its candidate and former state wakf board chairman Hyder Ali gave a remarkable fight finishing as runner up getting 2,36,679 votes , while the AIADMK winner Bahrati Mohan 5,13,729 votes, former Union Minister Mani Shanker Aiyer finshed 4th getting just 58,465 votes.
Even though defeated but MMK in DMK alliance has evolved good support base in Mayailadathurai considering its 2009 performance where MMK chief Prof. Jawaharullah could not get more than 20,000 votes.
From Union Territory of Puducerrry which is geographically located in Tamil Nadu DMK fielded its local powerful leader AMH Nazeem. Mr. Nazeem former leader of opposition in Puducherry assembly, a former health minister and a five time sitting MLA from Karaikal was widely believed to be sweeping the parliament seat, but the results turned out to be a disappointment.
Mr. Nazeem made a dismal performance by getting just 60,580 votes finishing 4th, Radhakrishnan of NR Congress won the seat getting 2,55,826 votes.
Muslims in Ramanathapuram like in rest of Tamil Nadu where heavily polarized behind DMK alliance out of fear that AIADMK will join NDA after results. DMK candidate Mohammed Jaleel an education baron and an outsider from Madurai got the local Muslim support thus getting 2,86,621 votes but ended up as runner up. AIADMK which also fielded a Muslim candidate, a former state labour minister Anwar Raja who emerged victorious even after failing to attract Muslim votes.
Riding the Jayalalitha wave in the state Anwar Raja engrossed 4,05,945 votes thus getting elected with comfortable majority. Thus becoming only Muslim from the state to be elected ironically without own community support.
Other Muslim candidates from emerging small parties have also made a fine performance for a debut fight. Jahir Hussain of Aam Admi Party one of the founding members of the party contested from Chennai South getting 17,311 votes finishing 5thin the fray. Another Muslim candidate of AAP Imadad Shariff got just 3,742 votes from Vellore finishing 7th even behind some independents.
Social Democratic Party of India candidates also left their mark in three constituencies. Nijam Mohiuddin state head of SDPI contested from Chennai North finished sixth getting 14,585 votes. In Ramanathapuram SDPI candidate Noor Jiyavuddin scored 12,541 votes finishing fifth even ahead of locally powerful CPI. From Tiruelvelli Mohammed Mubarak of SDPI got 14,877 votes getting 7th spot.