Jama Masjid trustee to contest from Mumbadevi

Shuaib Khatib, trustee of Mumbai's Jama Masjid, will contest Mumbadevi Assembly elections against Congress's Amin Patel, representing the Azad Samaj Party.

MUMBAI: In what is being seen as a surprise move, Shuaib Khatib, trustee of Mumbai’s oldest mosque, Jama Masjid, situated behind Crawford Market, will fight Assembly elections from the Mumbadevi constituency against 3-time Congress MLA Amin Patel.

Jama Masjid trustee to contest from Mumbadevi

Khatib had also fought the Lok Sabha election from the South Mumbai constituency on a BSP ticket. This time, however, he will fight as a candidate of the Azad Samaj Party headed by Chandrashekhar Aazad `Ravan’, founder of the Bhim Army and MP from Nagina, Uttar Pradesh.

Aazad is currently one of the most popular politicians among Muslims because of the way he has taken a stand, both in and outside Parliament, on issues concerning the community. In September, he was in Mumbai to lead the Eid-e-Milad procession from Khilafat House, and according to journalist Sarfaraz Arzu, who organises the procession as head of the All India Khilafat Committee, the turnout was the largest seen in recent years.

“What better leader could I have chosen?” asked Khatib.

Khatib, who lost his deposit in the Lok Sabha election, polling just 4478 votes, claims that the “public’” wanted him to fight again. ”The Congress has again given tickets to the same old Muslims. Where is the space for any second-rung leadership in the community? Amin Patel has been representing Mumbadevi for 15 years but tell me five things he has done for the people,’’ he told HT.

Incidentally, Patel has been awarded the “Number 1 MLA” award five times by the Praja Foundation which evaluates the work of public representatives, and also won the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award 2023-24 given by the Maharashtra branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Asked about funds to fight election, Khatib said no funds were needed in the age of social media. “I plan to go door to door with folded hands.’’

He also rejected the argument that he would act as a vote-cutter in what is being seen as a straight fight between the MVA and the Mahayuti. However, that is how his candidature is being described by political observers. ”It seems the BJP is on an overdrive to see Muslims don’t get elected, by propping up all kinds of candidates,’’ said Sarfaraz Arzu, editor, Hindustan Urdu Daily. ”A candidate who couldn’t get more than 4,500 votes across the six Assembly constituencies that make up the South Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency can’t be taken seriously.’’

Last year, Khatib was at the centre of a major controversy when photographs of BJP MLA Ashish Shelar draping a party scarf around him inside the Jama Masjid Trust office emerged. He had to deny reports that he had joined the BJP.