Annoyed over not getting even a single ticket in Madhya Pradesh for the forthcoming lok Sabha elections, the Muslim community is upset with the Congress leadership.
The learned and intellectual class of the community that more often does not take any interest in politics is also up in arms against the Congress, saying it has not picked even a single community member to contest the general elections, and they say they can't bear it anymore.
The decline in Muslim representation in the State has become a major cause of concern for the community that accounts for over 70 lakh in the State's 7.5 crore population.Eminent Urdu poet Manzar Bhopali while talking to The Pioneer said, "There is undoubtedly a sense of alienation among Muslims as they feel the Congress has exploited them without giving them ample representation."
Manzar Bhopali was all set to contest ensuing parliamentary election as an Independent candidate with backing of all the prominent Muslim leaders of the city but he could not file his nomination due to death of his mother.Bhopali further said, "Muslims are not satisfied with their representation. The Congress didn't allow Muslim leaders to develop even in places like Bhopal, Indore and Jabalpur that have a large Muslim population."
Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) member Dr Yusuf Khalil Hussaini said, "For us there is no difference between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. If the former is against us because of its basic ideology, the latter sidelined us in a planned manner."
Dr Hussaini further said, "There are about half a dozen parliamentary constituencies in the State including Bhopal, Betul, Satna, Sagar and others where the percentage of Muslim voters is above 30 per cent but the Congress doesn't field candidates of the community in these places."
He said, "There is no dearth of winnable Muslim candidates but rarely do they get the ticket."President Madhya Pradesh Muslim Vikas Parishad Mohammed Mahir said, "Honestly we do not have any expectations from the BJP but we had lots of expectations from the Congress. But the Congress has shocked us by not giving a single lok Sabha ticket to a muslim in MP."
The Congress which at one time counted Muslims among its core supporters denied it is cold-shouldering the community. State Congress vice-president and media in-charge Manak Agrawal said, "There is no specific reason behind the decrease in representation to Muslims. Winnability is an important factor while deciding candidates."
Madhya Pradesh has 29 lok Sabha seats and both the major political players of the State the ruling BJP and the main Opposition Congress have not fielded any Muslim candidate. Representation of the community in the State Assembly is also very nominal as there is only one Muslim MlA in the House of 230 members.
The Congress and the BJP are the two dominant parties in the sprawling State. Parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the left have little or no presence in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly.