By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Jaipur: Social Democratic Party of India’s desperate attempt to make inroads in electoral politics of north India met with disappointments and fights to cherish with.
In these state elections SDPI contested from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.
In Rajasthan SDPI fought from just three but well-chosen constituencies, Kaman, Kota North and Bundi.
During its campaign SDPI maintained that it came for fight to win, but after the polling SDPI leadership conceded that to make a mark at least they have to become a reason for the defeat of a powerful candidate, and that’s what they achieved in Kota North.
SDPI VP Hafiz Manzoor Khan, with his supporters. during campaign
Kota North’s 4 time MLA Shanti Dhariwal was considered the most powerful man in Rajasthan Congress. He was the Home Minster when Gopalgarh firing incident occurred and the period where scores of Muslim youths were arrested from Kota city after Jaipur blasts.
Kota city is an educational hub of Rajasthan, SDPI through its student wing CFI made inroads into young circles of the city, thus getting a committed cadre.
Dhariwal in his home ministership alienated Kota North’s 30% Muslim vote a traditional congress support base. SDPI’s candidate Mohd Shafi gave a blow to Dhariwal where it pained him the most. Anger against Dhariwal by local Muslims was successfully transformed by SDPI into a wave of political resentment.
Shanti Dhariwal who was known as ‘Diggaj neta’, faced crushing defeat by his BJP rival Prahlad Gunjal. Dhariwal got 64,434 votes and BJP winner 79,295 votes. SDPI’s Mohd Shafi cutting into Muslim vote bank of Congress got 13,545 votes getting third spot and thus became the major reason for Dhariwal’s ouster.
When its National Working Committee decided to fight from Rajasthan the Kaman constituency was apple in their eye. Kaman is the constituency where Gopalgarh village comes under where an infamous firing on Mosque in September 2011killed 11 Meo Muslims. SDPI and its parent wing Popular Front of India made series of agitations and even fought court cases on this issue. SDPI was so confident of riding on anti-incumbency wave against sitting MLA and minister Zahida Khan that it sent its National VP Hafiz Manzoor Ali Khan to open SDPI’s account in Asembly.
SDPI’s gamble failed miserably, its National VP was able to get only 566 votes getting 11th spot, where even unknown independent candidates over took him. SP candidate Aash Mohammed with 936 votes, Mohd Zahoor of NPP with 1546 votes and Sher Mohamemd of LJP with 2704 votes where much better performer than SDPI.
Anti-incumbency factor did effected Zahid Khan where she lost with just 3,000 votes against BJP’s Jagat Singh as lot of Muslim candidates took away community vote against her.
Hafiz Manzoor Ali Khan alleged that Zahida Khan spent lot of money, turned election into a Hindu vs Muslim match and even spread false rumors that SDPI has an alliance with BJP. Other factors for SDPI’s poor performance he said were political unawareness of local villagers.
In Bundi SDPI’s candidate Moinuddin Sagar gave a respectable fight gaining 3,984 votes with 4th position, even though Muslim votes are just 11%. Ashok Dogra of BJP won the seat with over 91,000 votes while Congress candidate Mamta Sharma got 63,000 votes.
SDPI contested on four constituencies in Madhya Pradesh to mark its presence. In Indore 5 party got 1335 votes, lost third spot to BSP with just 30 votes, in Sheopur party got 1266 votes lost fourth spot to NCP with 100 votes. In Khategoan 914 votes with fifth spot, and in Gwalior south 350 votes for 8th spot.
Sources in SDPI central leadership informed us that party was not yet ready to contest from Madhya Pradesh, but on the insistence of state chief Adv. Sajjid Siddiqui party fielded its candidates. Mr. Sajjid Siddiqui claimed that it was necessary for the party to contest from MP to give a sense of confidence to its fading cadre.
Mr. Siddiqui also said that party was having lot of hopes from Bhurhanpur assembly seat where they arranged vast public meetings, but he claimed SDPI could not field a candidate there due to ‘Congress’s treachery’. “One local Muslim leader insisted on fighting from our ticket, we agreed but at the last day of filing nominations he refused. We believe he got settled with congress candidate,” Mr. Siddiqui alleged.
SDPI fielded only one candidate in Delhi elections, the reason they gave was cadre. According to SDPI they only field candidates where they have reasonable presence on ground. But, its lone candidate Javed Akhlaqui from Kirari constituency gave a dismal performance got 10th position with just 274 votes. Even as Dr. Ayub’s peace party candidate Rajkumar got 5th spot with 1486 votes.
Though Kota North was the face safer for SDPI in state elections, but party failed to make any impact as they did in last Karnataka elections. In other words there was no Narasimharaja this time around for SDPI enthusiasts.
Related:
SDPI hopeful to emerge as Muslim vote cracker against powerful Congress ministers in Rajasthan