BJP gives 6 tickets to Muslims in 3 poll-bound states

AHMEDABAD: After Narendra Modi's Sadbhavana Mission in 2011, it was expected that the BJP would give tickets to some Muslim candidates for the 2012 Gujarat assembly polls. But it did not happen, leaving many party leaders and sympathizers from the community disappointed. The story is no different ahead of assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. The party has apparently decided to give tickets to only six Muslim candidates in the three states, where more than 500 legislators will be elected soon.

The number of sitting Muslim MLAs in these three states is 17, of which only two belong to the BJP. There are more than 50 Muslim dominated constituencies. But even some top office-bearers of the BJP's minority morcha have been refused ticket.

Muslim political leaders feel an excellent opportunity to reach out to the community has been lost, months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

"The primary reason is that the party wanted to play safe and not take chances by experimenting at this stage. The thinking is that if the results are not good in MP, Rajasthan, Delhi and Chhattisgarh, it would seem that Modi's popularity is not real but just a hype," a senior party functionary told TOI.

National president of BJP's minority morcha, Abdul Rashid Ansari, admitted, "We were expecting more tickets. In view of statements of senior leaders and the hard work put in by the workers, their expectations were high. The decision is not as expected but since it is party's decision we will stick to it."

BJP spokesperson Asifa Khan agreed more Muslim candidates were expected to get party nomination. "However, winnability remains a major factor when deciding the candidates. Not just BJP but all the parties are being very cautious as these results could have a bearing on 2014 polls. But there is still hope among our leaders that they will get their chance when time comes."

Vice-president of the party's Minority Morcha, Irfan Ahmed, had tried hard for a ticket from Okhla in Delhi. This is the constituency where Batla House encounter had taken place. However, for the 70 seats in Delhi that has Muslim population of 12%, BJP has decided to give ticket to only one Muslim candidate for Matiya Mahal. The state had elected five Muslim MLAs last time, none of them from BJP.

In Rajasthan where Muslims constitute 8.5% of total population, the BJP has again given tickets to four Muslim candidates. From its 200 constituencies, the state had elected 11 Muslim MLAs, two of BJP, in 2008 polls.

Madhya Pradesh, with 7% of its population belonging to the minority community, had elected only one Muslim MLA from the Congress. This time, BJP has pitted former Union minister Arif Beg against four-time MLA and Congress candidate Arif Aqueel from Bhopal North seat. The state has 22 seats with sizeable Muslim population. "One wonders if the party has no faith in its senior functionaries," said a Muslim leader in from New Delhi.