The Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh is now eyeing the Shia votes in the state. The party is all set to take advantage of the ongoing battle between the Samajwadi Party and the Shia community.
The Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh is now eyeing the Shia votes in the state. The party is all set to take advantage of the ongoing battle between the Samajwadi Party and the Shia community.
Senior BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui met Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad in Lucknow two days ago and discussed the political scenario with him in detail.
Though Mr Siddiqui termed it a “courtesy call” and insisted that there were no political overtones to his visit, sources in the BSP said that the leader had gone to meet the cleric with a message from Ms Mayawati.
The Shia leadership has been rather upset with the Akhilesh government over the issue of waqf properties and their management after the government dismissed over four dozen “muttawallis (caretakers)” and appointed new ones in their place.
The Shia cleric has repeatedly criticised UP minister Azam Khan for “meddling” in religious matters for political gains and members of the Shia community have staged several demonstrations against the government. A number of Shia youths arrested during these agitations are still in jail.
The BSP, sources said, was keen to cash in on the Shia anger against the Samajwadi Party since Shias outnumber Sunnis in several assembly segments in Uttar Pradesh.
The former BSP minister, during his meeting with the Shia Cleric, assured that if the community supported his party during the assembly elections, they would reverse the “mindless” action taken by the Samajwadi Party regarding management of waqf properties.
Interestingly, the Shia community has traditionally been close to the BJP and the Shias have voted in large numbers for former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
The community also supported Mr Rajnath Singh in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week.
“There are over 50 Assembly segments in Uttar Pradesh where Shias are in a position to tilt the balance. The Shia community is not averse to any political party but is more concerned about issues that confront the community. The SP may claim to be a saviour of Muslims but under the influence of Mr Azam Khan, the Akhilesh government has done maximum damage to our community,” said Abbas Jafri, a young Shia student.
The BSP, apparently, is keen on getting Muslim support in the upcoming assembly elections so that it can get a comfortable majority on its own and by widening the Shia-Sunni divide, the BSP can not also divide the Muslim support that goes to the Samajwadi Party.
