Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are angry over the fact that none of the political parties in Uttar Pradesh have fielded a Muslim candidate for the upcoming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha.
Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are angry over the fact that none of the political parties in Uttar Pradesh have fielded a Muslim candidate for the upcoming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, not even a single Muslim candidate could win the elections from Uttar Pradesh.
“This behaviour of political parties will make us do some serious rethinking for the Assembly elections. The Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress treat us as vote banks but when it comes to giving us our due, they turn towards their loyalists. We will convene a meeting of Muslim clerics and senior leaders — cutting across sectarian differences — next month after Ramzan and decide what is to be done”, said a senior Muslim cleric, known for his proximity to the Samajwadi Party.
The cleric, who did not wish to be named, said he was shocked that the Samajwadi Party list did not include even a single Muslim candidate.
Senior Muslim clerics and leaders had even met Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and the latter had assured them that he would make changes and include a Muslim candidate. He did make changes but included a Jat (Mr Surendra Nagar) instead.
“Apparently, the Samajwadi Party feels that it can do without our votes and that is fine with us too. We will now wait for the Assembly polls”, the cleric said.
The Samajwadi Party has fielded Mr Beni Prasad Varma, Mr Amar Singh, Mr Sanjay Seth, Mr Sukhram Yadav, Mr Reoti Raman Singh, Mr Vishambhar Nishad and Mr Surendra Nagar for the Rajya Sabha.
The BSP, too, has ignored Muslims and its list includes Mr Satish Chandra Misra and Mr Ashok Siddhartha.
“The BSP has been wooing Muslims since the past few months but when it comes to giving us a Rajya Sabha nomination, the party opts for a Brahmin”, said Mr Rahil, a BSP worker from Shamli district, who is now planning to quit the party.
The Congress, meanwhile, has also not given any seat to Muslims and has chosen Mr Kapil Sibal for Rajya Sabha.
Senior party leader Satyadeo Tripathi, however, defended the decision and said, “Congress has always given representation to Muslims. Naseeb Pathan was given two terms in the Vidhan Parishad and we have sent maximum number of Muslim candidates to the Rajya Sabha in the past”.
Senior Congress leader Siraj Mehndi , however, said, “If others did not field any Muslim candidate, at least the Congress could have done so”.
It is noteworthy that in the 2012 state elections, the maximum number of Muslim MLAs (68) were elected to the UP Assembly and this is the highest number since Independence. In fact, the numbers were almost proportional to the Muslim population in the state. The ruling Samajwadi Party has 42 Muslim MLAs at present.
