Despite tall claims of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in reaching out to the minority community through Sadbhavna Mission on the wake of 2002 riots in which around 1200 people were killed, not a single Muslim name figures in the list of 84 candidates the party declared on Thursday evening.
In the first list, the party has repeated most of the sitting MLAs and even fielded some of those who had lost in the last polls in a sign that the ruling party on banking on its old horses to ride through the electoral test.
"We were expecting that the party will fields Muslim candidate from constituencies like Vagra in Bharuch, Wankaner in Rajkot, Surat East and Limbayat in Surat, ass all are Muslim dominated seats. But that has not happened," a BJP ticket aspirant from the minority community said, regretting the party's decision.
He added that it remains to be whether any Muslim figures in the second list of remaining constituencies will be announced in a few days.
Another BJP leader said that since CM Modi is eyeing the national role before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he would try to send a signal of reaching out to the minority community in his home state.
Gujarat has 10% minority community population and there are over a dozen seats out of 182 total Assembly seats where minorities form more than 30 % of voters.
{{/usCountry}}Gujarat has 10% minority community population and there are over a dozen seats out of 182 total Assembly seats where minorities form more than 30 % of voters.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, two Muslims figure in the first list of 52 candidates of Congress party, which has retaining its sitting MLA Mohhamad Pirzada from Wankaner and fielded Amin Ali Lodhia from Bhuj where more than 70000 are Muslim voters.