West Bengal: Cong fields 21 Muslims, Siddiqullah Chowdhury’s party 13

By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,

Kolkata: The race to capture Muslim vote completed on Friday with Congress releasing the list of its 65 candidates, and to outrace other parties like Left and Trinamool, the Congress gave good number of tickets to Muslims. Out of its quota of 65 seats, the party has given 21 seats to Muslim candidates, that is about one-third or 33% of the total seats allotted to it by the alliance partner Trinamool Congress.

Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee is contesting 228 seats, and the party has fielded 39 Muslims, that is 17.10% while the Left Front, which is contesting all 294 seats, has fielded 56 Muslims – 19.04%.

Congress declared the list on Friday 25th March.

List of Muslim candidates of Congress

Meanwhile, Siddiqullah Chowdhury led People’s Democratic Conference of India (PDCI) which is contesting under United Social Democratic Front (USDF) alliance declared 40 candidates. Out of 40 Muslims are 13. Among 13 five are Maulanas or Muftis. Siddiqullah Chowdhury released the list at a press conference on 24th March at Kolkata Press Club.

USDF was formed a month ago when they announced that they will go with Congress. But now they have decided to fight without Congress. USDF has 7 political parties — PDCI, PDS, RPI, JFB, LJP, RLD and JD (S). Chowduhry also said that some Muslim political parties will also tie up with USDF. They are IUML, SDPI, IDP, INL and SML.

List of Muslim candidates of PDCI led by Siddqullah Chowdhury

Distribution of seats by USDF

The USDF will contest a total of 147 seats. The main seven parties of USDF will contest 125 seats while Muslim political parties can be given 22 seats.

PDCI: 40
PDS (Led by Ex MP Saifuddin Chowdhry): 25
RPI: 8
JFB: 10
LJP: 17
RLD: 20
JD(S): 5

IUML: 3
SDPI: 10
IDP: 3
INL: 3
SML: 4