Muslim Congress leaders unhappy with party sidelining minorities in Maharashtra

Two senior Muslim leaders of the Congress have voiced their discontent over the party’s decision not to nominate any minority candidates from the state

Mumbai: Two senior Muslim leaders of the Congress have voiced their discontent over the party’s decision not to nominate any minority candidates from the state this time. Naseem Khan, the working president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee and Zakir Ahmed, the general secretary of the state Congress have expressed their disappointment over the Congress party’s decision not to nominate any Muslim candidates in the state. Khan announced that he will not campaign for the party, resigning from his position as a star campaigner and also from the state committee of star campaigners.

Mumbai, India - June 13, 2023: Congress leader Naseem Khan arrives for the core committee meeting of the Congress party, at Garware Club, Churchgate, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Khan, who previously served as the MLA for the Chandivali constituency, faced defeat in the last elections at the hands of Dilip Lande from Shiv Sena. Having held positions as both a minister and minister of state in the past, Khan reportedly expressed interest in contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Mumbai North Central. However, the Shiv Sena (UBT), lacking a candidate, relinquished the seat to Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad. This move came after the Shiv Sena (UBT) unilaterally announced Anil Desai as their candidate for Mumbai South Central, which caused consternation for Gaikwad, given her roots in Dharavi. In an effort to maintain harmony with the Mumbai Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) offered the Mumbai North Central seat to Gaikwad.

Khan criticised the MVA for not nominating any Muslim candidates in the state, leading to discontent among minorities, Congress leaders, and workers. He emphasised the importance of representation for all castes and communities in Maharashtra, highlighting that the Congress had previously nominated one or two minority candidates.

Khan highlighted the demographic significance of the Mumbai North Central constituency, with its sizable minority population of 6.50 lakh and a Hindi-speaking community of two lakh. He revealed that the party had initially decided to field him as a candidate for this constituency, but his name was not announced by the party. Despite campaigning for the first two phases of the elections, Khan declared his decision not to campaign further.

He recounted his extensive travels across various states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Telangana, Goa, and Maharashtra during his campaign efforts. Khan expressed concern that constituents would question why no minority candidate had been nominated, leaving him without a response. Consequently, he decided to abstain from further campaign activities.

Zakir Ahmed, the general secretary of the state Congress said, “I can see very angry reaction in the state as the Congress has not given ticket to any minority. Many Muslim organisations and congress men are angry.’’

State Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe refrained from commenting on the issue. Meanwhile, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) spokesperson Clyde Crasto suggested that there are still some seats available for consideration.

Shiboli Chatterjee ( English Content Management - Mumbai )