Mr. Syed Shahabuddin, ex MP, Editor Muslim India Monthly, in a statement on October 23, expressed his dismay on the results of Maharashtra Assembly elections, 2009, in which only 10 Muslims have been elected as MLAs against their proportionate due of 31, with 4 from INC, 2 from NCP, 2 from SP, 1 from JDP.
“Despite their satisfaction with the decadal performance of the INC- NCP government on many counts, the Muslims of Maharashtra had largely pinned their hopes on their alliance but it fielded only 15 Muslim candidates. BJP-Shiv Sena alliance not unexpectedly fielded only two, as a token gesture. The SP had fielded a large number of candidates of which its leader Abu Asim Azmi won from two seats. Left-Republican Front did not field a single Muslim candidate,” he said in the statement.
“Nearly all Muslim MLAs have been elected from Greater Mumbai and other western parts of the state. Thus, most of Maharashtra Muslims, even those in districts/constituencies of high Muslim concentration, shall remain unrepresented. Major parties have ignored Muslim voters because of the sharp division between their social constituencies, which leave little space for Muslim votes. In the last General election the Muslim Front had failed to secure a single seat.
“Muslims of Maharashtra are both politically conscious and possess intellectual and material resources. They have therefore reasons to feel unhappy with the political pattern which ignores them. They are obliged to apply their mind on how to have an effective presence and voice in the legislature and thus to make it pay more attention to their legitimate grievances and demands,” the statement added.