BSP Becomes Sole National Party To Have A Muslim Candidate In Gujarat, Congress Breaks Its Record By Not Nominating Even One

The BSP stands out as the sole national party to nominate a Muslim candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, contrasting with the Congress, which chose not to field any, as per a report by The Indian Express.

Out of the 266 candidates in the state's electoral race, 32 are Muslim.

Most of these candidates are running independently, while a handful belong to smaller parties like the Bhartiya Jan Nayak Party, Log Party, Right to Recall Party, and the Social Democratic Party of India.

Gandhinagar boasts the highest number of Muslim candidates at seven. Following closely are Bharuch and Patan, each with four Muslim candidates.

Muslims constitute around 10 per cent of Gujarat's population, with significant numbers in at least 15 constituencies.

Historically, the Congress had nominated Muslim candidates in Bharuch, including Sherkhan Pathan, Aziz Tankarvi, and Mohammad Patel in previous elections. However, this time, the Aam Aadmi Party has put forth its MLA Chaitar Vasava for the Bharuch seat.

In the 2014 elections, the Congress fielded Jayesh Patel in Bharuch but chose a Muslim candidate to challenge BJP's C R Paatil in Navsari.

In the last two elections, the BJP secured victory in all 26 seats in Gujarat. This year, however, there will be polling in only 25 seats, as Surat was won uncontested by the BJP.

Imran Khedawala, the only Muslim MLA in the current Gujarat Assembly and a Congress leader, defended the party's decision regarding the Bharuch seat. He argued that Chaitar's nomination was a strategic choice due to his local standing and community support.

The Bharuch Lok Sabha seat, once a Congress stronghold, shifted to BJP in 1989.

While there were requests from Ahmed Patel's children for a ticket from Bharuch, Khedawala reasoned that Chaitar, as a local and sitting MLA, was a more viable candidate. He emphasised the importance of securing both Muslim and Hindu votes for electoral success.

Zafar Sareshwala, a former Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University, expressed concern over national parties not fielding Muslim candidates.

He urged the community to remain relevant in politics. Sareshwala also highlighted the progress made by Muslims in Gujarat post-2002, particularly in education, entrepreneurship, and health sectors.