In a remarkable turn of events, Maulana Mohibbullah Nadvi, the Imam of Parliament Street Jama Masjid in Delhi, emerged victorious in the Rampur parliamentary seat, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) incumbent candidate, Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi, by more than 87,000 votes. Despite being a political novice, Nadvi’s win has captured widespread media attention, especially given the backdrop of a robust anti-Muslim campaign by the ruling party.
Historical Significance
Nadvi is the first alumnus of the prestigious Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow to be elected to the highest legislative body. This victory is notable, as previously, graduates from Darul Uloom Deoband have been the ones to enter Parliament. In this election cycle, Maulana Badaruddin Ajmal Qasmi, a Darul Uloom graduate, lost his traditional Dhubri seat in Assam, which he had held since 2005.
Election Statistics
In the three-cornered contest, Nadvi secured 49.74 percent of the votes, while the BJP’s Lodhi received 40.71 percent. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate, Zeeshan Khan, garnered only 8.23 percent of the votes, with a total voter turnout of 54.77 percent in Rampur.
Educational and Professional Background
Nadvi, 48, hails from the village of Razanagar in Rampur. He completed his early Quranic education in Rampur City and continued his studies at a madrasa in Sambhal. He later attended Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow, and briefly studied at Aligarh Muslim University before moving to Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, where he earned an honors degree in Arabic. He also holds an MA in Islamic Studies and a B.Ed. from Al-Falah University. Nadvi has been serving as the Imam at the Parliament Street Jama Masjid since 2005.
Political Journey
Nadvi’s victory is significant as he is one of the five Muslims elected to Parliament from Uttar Pradesh this term. His win carries a symbolic message, as it marks the first time a Nadwatul Ulama graduate has entered Parliament, breaking the trend of Qasmis from Darul Uloom Deoband holding political positions.
In an interview with Radiance, Nadvi alleged that voting had been tampered with in 12 to 15 booths, which affected his overall margin. “My victory margin would have been between one lakh and 1.5 lakh had the poll been conducted fairly,” he claimed.
Challenges and Support
Rampur, traditionally a stronghold of jailed SP leader Azam Khan and his wife Tazeen Fatima, presented numerous challenges for Nadvi. He faced opposition from within his own party, including from Asim Raja, an aide of Azam Khan, who filed his nomination as an SP candidate. Nadvi recalled, “I was not the party’s first choice candidate and filed my papers at the last hour on the final day of nomination on March 27.”
Despite these hurdles, Nadvi believes his role as an imam and scholar contributed to his acceptance in his hometown. He mentioned that he began taking an interest in politics due to the presence of influential political figures among those who prayed at his mosque, which is near the Parliament House.
Reflections on Muslim Representation
Nadvi addressed the issue of low Muslim representation in Parliament, noting that the quality of representation is more important than quantity. “Quality, not quantity, should be the criterion for evaluating our political representation,” he said. He emphasized that Muslims are not demanding special treatment but only the rights guaranteed by the Constitution to all citizens.
Future Plans
Regarding the security concerns of the Muslim community, Nadvi initially stated there were no major issues. However, he acknowledged incidents like the recent mob-lynching in Chhattisgarh and committed to raising such matters when the new parliamentary session begins.
Nadvi’s unexpected victory in Rampur highlights the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of Indian politics, and his entry into Parliament brings a new dimension to the representation of Muslims in the country’s legislative process.