Lok Sabha elections 2024: Muslim anger poses danger to Congress

Arif Naseem Khan. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Muslims had hoped that the Congress would field a representative from their community, at least in the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency, where they have a number that can impact the election result. The party hadn't named candidates for the two remaining segments in the state, Mumbai North Central and Mumbai North, till Thursday evening. But as it turned out, it chose Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad for the former seat, ignoring Muslim aspirant and the party's state working president, Arif Naseem Khan. The development has caused a big uproar and led to Khan resigning as the Congress star campaigner, who was expected to woo Muslims into voting for the party.

It is learnt that the Congress chose Gaikwad, an Ambedkarite Marathi Dalit, over a Muslim leader, fearing Hindu-Muslim polarisation not just here, but in other segments of Mumbai and the MMR. However, community leaders refused to buy the logic. Insiders said restive Muslims from across the state had been calling Khan since Thursday evening, demanding to know the reasons for the ‘injustice'.

Left with no option, Khan sent his resignation as the star campaigner to the party's high command on Friday evening. In Maharashtra, the Congress is contesting 17 seats, far less than the previous elections, and without a Muslim candidate. Mumbai North's nomination is still pending, but Muslims don't have much of an impact there except for the Malwani pocket where the party has its MLA.

Considered Congress's traditional supporters, Muslim voters matter in 22 Maharashtra Lok Sabha constituencies where they are in the range of 15 to 30 per cent of the entire electorate. Mumbai's North Central, South and South Central have a sizeable Muslim population. Every fifth individual is from the minority community in Mumbai. Muslims have a significant presence in MMR's Bhiwandi constituency. The no-Muslim policy of the Congress will certainly negatively impact the MVA's electoral outcome in the remaining phases of voting. The second phase of voting took place on Friday in eight places, including Muslim-sensitive segments Akola, Amravati, Nanded, Yavatmal-Washim and Parbhani. The first three had Congress candidates. Akola's minority missed a Muslim Congress candidate this election.

Muslim sentiment has been serious ever since the beginning of the ticketing procedure. It created pressure, its leaders lobbied hard but not a single representative was fielded. Nominations for the fifth phase started on Friday. There had been elections in which the Congress's traditional vote bank was dented, giving rise to some other parties. In Aurangabad, the community had chosen AIMIM over the Congress in 2009 by electing a Muslim as their MP.

But it was the Muslim community that had saved the Congress's face in Mumbai by electing three of them as MLAs. Gaikwad, the fourth one, had received good support from Muslims in Dharavi. Unfortunately, Khan had lost by only 409 votes from Chandivli, which falls under Mumbai North Central. SP and undivided NCP had won one Assembly seat each.

Maharashtra Congress general secretary Zakir Ahmed, who was all for Khan's candidature, shared his sentiment with us. "To mete out such an injustice [to Muslims] is very painful in the state where a Muslim Congress leader had become the CM [Barrister A R Antulay]. The minorities that support the Congress have never ever dreamt that there would be no Muslim candidate in the fray. In North Central, Naseem Khan was the minority's choice," said Ahmed.

Khan's office said his candidature was decided two months ago but changed on Thursday. Khan said in a letter to the party high command, "Canvassing as a star campaigner, I have no explanation to offer to Muslims about the community not getting representation at any of 48 seats the Congress and MVA are contesting in Maharashtra. I don't want to campaign because I can't answer their questions."

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore

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