16 MLAs WON MAHARASTRA AND HARYANA ELECTIONS
By M. Zajam and Kashif-ul-Huda for TwoCircles.net
On the face of it, Muslims have been able to maintain the status-quo in the new assembly of Maharashtra but scratch the surface and witness the emergence of a community gaining political strength.
Outgoing Maharashtra assembly had 11 Muslim MLAs, and the latest election also returned 11 Muslim MLAs. The 2009 result saw 5 Muslim candidates coming second, three of those with a margin of less than 10,000 votes. In 2004 elections, 7 Muslim candidates ended up runner-ups and four of these with less than 10,000 votes. So, if we include runner-ups in our analysis it seems Muslims in Maharashtra have lost some political ground.
In 2004 elections all Muslim MLAs belonged to either the Congress (INC) or its ally, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Between 2004 and 2009, Muslims of Maharashtra saw multiple anti-Muslim violence, fake encounters, and arrests of Muslim youth after terrorist attacks. Muslims felt helpless and lacked security while the ruling alliance which got overwhelming Muslim votes in 2004 elections did nothing to protect them.
Increasing incidence of communal riots saw many Muslim corporators of both INC and NCP resigning from their positions. This grass root revolt against the ruling parties by the Muslims of the state saw more than hundred Muslim party officials quitting their party positions or elected seats but none of the MLAs joined cause with them.
2009 election has returned same number of Muslim MLAs as the last assembly but with a major difference that 4 out 11 belong to non-INC and non-NCP parties. Three of the four seats are of Samajwadi Party (SP) of which two seats won by SP state chief Abu Asim Azmi and one by Mufti Mohammad Ismail who contested on Jan Surajya Shakti party ticket.
Mufti Ismail celebrating his victory in Malegaon. [Ummid.com photo]
Mufit Ismail represents the increasing loud voice of Muslims’ frustration with Congress inaction when it comes to Muslim issues. He came to the limelight by winning the Malegaon municipal election after forming his own political party. His lead of around 18,000 this election gives indication of strong Muslim resentment against Congress-NCP government.
For Congress, Minster of State Baba Siddique won a third term as MLA from Vandre West in a close fight. Young Municipal Councillor, Aslam Shaikh won Malad West defeating R. U. Singh of BJP. In Mumbadevi where Muslms form 50% population, Amin Patel had an easy ride.
Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan, the first Muslim to be Minister of State for Home (Urban) of Maharashtra since the state came into existence in 1960 was contesting from Chandivali. Two-time MLA from the Kurla assembly constituency, Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan came into light during the 1992-93 communal riots in Mumbai when he played a key role in setting the first peace committee in suburban Ghatkopur. Arif Naseem Khan defeated Dilip Bhausaheb of MNS by margin of 33.715 votes. In Silod, Abdul Sattar Abdul Nabi had maintained lead right from the beinging and sealed the victory with margin of 26,753 votes.
For NCP, Nawab Malik, Mushrif Hasan Miyalal won Anushakti Nagar and Kagal respectively.
The list of 174 candidates released by the Congress had 12 Muslim names while the NCP’s list of 113 candidates had four Muslims.
Though there are 10.6% Muslim in Maharashtra and about 48 constituencies with a significant Muslim presences only 11 Muslim candidates are able to win for the last two assembly elections but result this year provide strong evidence that Muslims are getting organized and gaining political strength on their own. Congress and other secular parties will get votes only if they had no choice. And choices they are getting- many Muslim led parties are moving in to Maharashtra – United Democratic Front (UDF), Rashtriya Ulema Council (RUC), and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) have made their entry in the state in recent months.
Message for the secular parties- listen to the community and deliver; Muslims can not be taken for a ride anymore. New INC-NCP government can start by implementing Sri Krishna Report, speeding trials in cases of fake encounters and arrests of Muslim youth on terror charges, controlling and punishing the guilty of communal riots.
comments:
In Maharashtra 3.82% Muslim representation is not very encouraging.
One of the big muslim pocket is Bhindi-Bazar, Null Bazar-Nagpada area. You will be surprize to see the area is divided in multiple constituencies in such a way that muslim votes can very easily be divided without any effort.
Anyway, it is what it is. We have no control.
17 MUSLIM MLAs WON MAHARASTRA AND HARYANA
The rise of MNS of Mr. Raj Thakrey is another alarming news. 14 seats is a big bonus for his anti-north hate based policy. India is a country and every citizen has the right to live wherever they can find the opportunity.
Haryana :
By Twocircles.net newsdesk,
New Delhi: Haryana assembly election result has sprung some surprises. Congress was expecting easy ride back to power and become first party to achieve this feat after 1972. This ride become bumpy and came to a halt short of 6 MLAs due to strong showing by Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). Congress poll managers will ensure that it reaches that magic number.
This time 5 Muslims MLAs become victorious compared to 3 in 2005. It is a impressive performance and can be contributed to facts that most of seats had multi corner fight. Jaleeb Khan contested as independent from Hathin after Congress denied him a ticket and defeated official Congress nominee by margin of more then 6000 votes.
The Jagadhri constituency witnessed a triangular contest among sitting Congress MLA Subhash Chand, former minister Akram Khan of the BSP and former MLA Kanwar Pal of the BJP. Akram Khan defeated Subhash Chand by a margin of more than 4000 votes.
Naseem Khan and Mohammed Ilyas contesting on INLD tickets won comfortably from Ferozepur Jhirka and Punahana respectively.
District Congress president of Mewat, Aftab Ahmed defeated nearest rival Sanjay of BJP by margin of 16904 votes.
In Sohna, Zakir Hussain of Bahuja Samaj Party lost to Dharambir of Congress by only 505 votes.
Four ministers in the Hooda government -- Finance Minister Birender Singh, Transport Minister Mange Ram Gupta, Education Minister A.C. Chaudhary, and Cooperation Minister Meena Mandal -- as well as state Congress president Phool Chand Mullana lost in the election.
There were 1,222 candidates, including 68 women, in the fray.
The Hope is Still Alive
To see the result of coming election 2009, Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal pardesh is up to mark but the situation of muslim in Marashtra is too bad where very few 5 muslim elected including Malegaon' Jama Masjid Imam. In Haryana which elected 5 Muslim MLA is good achievement. To see the result its show that Indian National Congress was not in mood to give more ticket to muslim but other party BSP and Inidan National Lok Dal given ticket to muslim its a good trend. We know the congress mind set, it is party which always crushed muslim several time several election and several places, for congress muslim is vote bank not above to that but hope is still alive till the % of representation in parliament as well in state assembly achieved according to population of muslim in all places.
Better than ...
It is better than Maharashtra that out of 90 seats, Muslims bagged 5 which amounts to 5.5% of seat. In comparision Maharashtra returned only 11 out of 288 maing it a paultry 3.8%.
While Muslims constitute as much as 15% of population in Maharsthra Haryana hardly has as much percentage. North India seems to have many exceptions than Central, Western or Soutern India.