Gujarat Elections: Has Narendra Modi’s 'Sadbhavana Effect' resulted in more Muslims voting for the BJP

AHMEDABAD: Has Narendra Modi’s ‘ Sadbhavana Effect’ resulted in more Muslims voting for the BJP this time?

The party would certainly like to believe that. The BJP has backed its claim by showcasing the fact that it won 24 constituencies which have more than 15% Muslim voters this time. That’s a gain of six seats since 2007 election, when they had won 18. The Congress, however, has rejected this claim.

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Modi was criticized for not giving a single ticket to Muslims this time, and yet his party snatched five Muslim-dominated seats which used to be with the Congress.

There were seven new seats born after delimitation with more than 15% Muslim voters. Of these, BJP won five, while two went to the Congress. BJP leaders claim Muslims have voted for the BJP even in Ahmedabad’s ghettos. The Vejalpur seat, which has 90,000 Muslim voters in Juhapura and Sarkhej localities, saw the BJP candidate winning by 40,000 votes.

BJP minority cell head Sufi Mehbub Ali said, “Looking at the margin of victory on such seats, we believe that up to 40% Muslims voted for us.” Asifa Khan, who switched over to the BJP from the Congresshails from Muslim-dominated Bharuch. The BJP won four of the five seats here. “We have bagged 22 of the 30 seats. This is an indication that Muslims seem to have reconciled with the BJP.”