Political parties have given only 34 Muslims candidates tickets for the Bihar assembly polls, even as Muslims account for 17.7% of the state’s population. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has fielded 18 (12.58%) Muslim candidates out of 143. Fifteen of 144 RJD candidates were Muslims in 2020.
The ruling Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), which claims to have worked for the community’s welfare, has given tickets to four Muslims (3.96%) out of 101. The JD (U) fielded 10 Muslims in 2020. The Congress has fielded 10 Muslim (out of 61) candidates.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not given tickets to Muslims, and its ally Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), one. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party promised to field 40 Muslims but gave tickets to 21.
The Muslims account for over 20% population in 87 constituencies. About 75% of Muslims are concentrated in northern Bihar.
A group of Muslim leaders, who met in Patna, expressed their resentment over a lack of proper representation in the ticket distribution. “It was an informal meeting. We will meet again, but at the same time, we do not have an option,” said Anwarul Hooda, who was among those who attended the meeting.
Congress leader Ali Anwar said they are disappointed. “The parties are afraid of polarisation if more Muslims are fielded. All our talk of representation as per population has gone for a toss. These secular parties are afraid of whom? But in the interest of the nation and to support secular forces, we will continue our support to the RJD-led alliance,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Congress leader Ali Anwar said they are disappointed. “The parties are afraid of polarisation if more Muslims are fielded. All our talk of representation as per population has gone for a toss. These secular parties are afraid of whom? But in the interest of the nation and to support secular forces, we will continue our support to the RJD-led alliance,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Muslim leaders, under the aegis of Adl-O-Insaf Front, passed a resolution last year that noted Muslims account for between 12 and 42% of voters in at least 15 of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats. Kishanganj has 68% Muslim voters.
The number of Muslim assembly members never crossed 10%, except in 1985. The state’s lone Muslim chief minister, Abdul Ghafoor, helmed the state government for less than two years in the 1970s.
Only 390 Muslims, accounting for just 7.8% of the total, have been elected to the assembly since 1952. In 1985, 34 Muslim lawmakers were elected in the 324-member undivided Bihar assembly. In 2020, only 19 Muslim lawmakers were elected to the 243-seat House.