Parties eye muslim votes but dither on giving tickets to them

PATNA: Come election time and all parties set their eyes on the minority votes particularly the muslims, widely perceived as a "vote bank", and announce a number of sops to woo them but when it comes to ticket distribution they dither on giving them adequate nominations.

The RJD, LJP, JD(U) and the Congress in their manifestos have promised to take steps for their uplift such as - bringing an exclusive Riot Control Act, providing legal status to dalit muslims by amending article 341 of the constitution and taking palliative measures for the Bhagalpur riot victims and their rehabilitation, but have not shown the same consideration while giving them tickets.

"The parties view the minorities as vote-bank but do not find them competent enough to become public representatives," said a senior JD(U) leader on condition of anonymity.

Apparently peeved, the Joint Committee of Muslim organisations on Election (JCMOE), comprising several muslim bodies including Jamait Ulema-e-Hind, Jamaat-e-Islami and All India Milli Council, have started giving sermons to community members in Bihar on which way to vote.

The JCMOE message is loud and clear-- vote for a muslim candidate except for when he belongs to the BJP and if there is no muslim in fray "put your weight behind a winnable candidate of any secular party."