No Muslim candidate makes it to list this Lok Sabha polls in Raj

The two major parties in Rajasthan — the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress — have so far released sixlists covering 24 seats andfive lists covering equivalent seats, out of the total 25 seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

BJP is yet to announce candidate for Bhilwara seat while the Congress for Banswara-Dungarpur seat.

According to experts, the Muslim community despite constituting at least 10% vote share and holding considerable electoral influence in at least 10 Lok Sabha seats and 100 assembly seats has found no representation in the crucial elections this time.

Upset with the same, Congress leaders from the community have raised objections even as the BJP leaders have said that “representation is not the only factor”.

Former cabinet minister in then Ashok Gehlot-led government and senior Congress leader Amin Khan in a post on X said: “Muslim community, which has always stood strong with the Congress... is feeling betrayed and marginalised. They have been neglected even in the distribution of tickets for the Lok Sabha elections. The party leadership is urged to address this issue promptly to avoid significant damage to the party in the elections.”

Khan has contested 11 elections from Sheo assembly seat in Barmer district and represented it for five terms.

Meanwhile, BJP’s state minority cell president Hamid Khan Mewati said: “The allocation of tickets is not the sole determinant of the party’s stance towards the minority community. The party hasn’t nominated Muslim candidates in Rajasthan but it has demonstrated trust in the leaders from the community in several other states.”

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has launched numerous schemes which are contributing to the economic, educational, and social advancement of individuals within the Muslim community.We are sure that the Muslim community is inclined to support the BJP and Prime Minister Modi in the upcoming elections.”

According to political experts, the BJP has “never” fielded any Muslim candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan while the Congress has fielded Muslim candidates for MP tickets multiple times.

Experts said that except for the elections in 1962, 1967, and 1972, Congress has had a trend of fielding at least one Muslim candidate in general elections. In 2009 and 2019 elections, Congress fielded Rafique Mandelia from Churu Lok Sabha seat, however, he lost. But this time instead of Mandelia, Congress banked on former BJP stalwart Rahul Kaswan, who recently defected to BJP. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Mohammad Azharuddin contested on Congress ticket from Tonk- Sawai Madhopur seat.

Ayub Khan is the only Muslim leader who was successful in reaching Lok Sabha twice in 1984 and 1991 from Jhunjhunu. Other Muslim leaders such as Abrar Ahmed (Jhalawar), Rafiq Mandelia (Churu), Saeed Goodage (Jaipur), Habibur Rahman Ashrafi (Ajmer), Mohammad Azharuddin (Tonk-Sawaimadhopur), Maqbool Mandelia (Churu), and Mehboob Ali (Bikaner), have unsuccessfully contested in the Lok Sabha elections from Rajasthan.

Political analyst Shivprakash Soni said: “In Rajasthan, the Muslim population holds significant electoral importance in approximately 10 Lok Sabha constituencies and around 100 assembly seats, where they rank as the first to fourth largest voter group. Despite all of it, they are lacking representation.” Soni said the constituencies with “considerable Muslim vote bank” include Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Bikaner, Nagaur, Sikar, Bhilwara, Ajmer, Dausa, Bharatpur, Alwar, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Jhunjhunu, and Churu.

Soni said: “The BJP has historically refrained from nominating Muslim candidates for Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan. There was one exception in 2004 when Najma Heptullah, who was previously with the Congress was nominated by the BJP and served as a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan.”

In contrast, the Congress has had Muslim representations in the Rajya Sabha, with eight leaders being appointed as MPs. Leaders such as Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Usman Arif, Maulana Arsarul Haq, Ushi Khan, Barkatullah Khan, Ashq Ali Tank, and AAKhan Durru Mian. Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Usman Arif served as Rajya Sabha MPs twice, said the analyst.Not only this, Barkatullah Khan also served as the state chief minister from 1971 to 1973.