In the land of Ram, the political parties are vying for Muslim votes. And the main contenders are the Congress, BSP and the Samajwadi Party who know that they can only win by pleasing the Muslims in Faizabad in the Awadh region of the State.
Faizabad, where Ayodhya lies, has been the nerve centre of Hindutva campaign because of the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation in last 80s. The BJP had gained from the so-called Ram wave in the 90s and its Hindu mascot Vinay Katiyar sailed high on it. Since then Ayodhya has influenced the political spectrum of the country.
This time, however, the main contest on this seat appears to be among the sitting member of parliament Nirmal Khatri (Congress), lallu Singh (BJP) Mitra Sen Yadav (SP) and Jitendra Singh Babloo (BSP). The BJP candidate lallu Singh is confident of winning the election on the Modi wave and not on Ram Temple agenda which is sidelined by the BJP this time.
Not only for the BJP, this seat is equally important for the Congress too, as its State president is in the fray from here. Realising the importance of Muslim votes Congress sitting MP Nirmal Khatri is camping in Muslim-dominated areas including Rudauli town and Sahanwa village. In his interaction with villagers he has highlighted various projects being run by the Central Government for the welfare of the minority community.
“If the Congress returns to power, UPA III will work for your betterment,” he told the Muslim community in Sahnawa village.
In some pockets, the Muslim population is as high as 28 per cent and three Assembly constituencies they can tilt the balance.
Nirmal Khatri is buoyed by the massive support of minorities to the party. A large number of Muslims leaders have joined Congress after resigning from SP and BSP, said the media in-charge of the party Ugrasen Mishra. He said that over two hundred ground level workers and youth leaders belonging to minority community have joined the Congress recently in Ayodhya and Faizabad Assembly segments.
Khatri is confident of winning this seat once again with the support of minorities. The State secretary of Congress Rajendra Pratap Singh said the party will capture this seat on the development agenda like it did in 2009.
On the other side, the SP is wooing minority voters whom it treats as its base vote. The State Minister Tej Narain Pandey is highlighting the development projects run by the State Government.
Pandey along with MlA from Milkipur Awadesh Prasad and other senior leaders are moving around the Muslim-dominated constituencies of Rudauli, Ayodhya, Bikapur and Goshaiganj. “In this constituency Muslim support is important. The Congress is trying hard to gain their support but will fail undoubtedly,” Pandey said.
To stress his point he said that the massive crowd that had gathered in the last election rally of Mohd Azam Khan, organised at Gulabbari ground, indicates whom will Muslims vote for. The Congress is trying to lure them but it will not succeed, he said.