Thirty-five Muslim candidates are in the fray in the state. There were 43 contenders from the community in 2019.
Team Clarion
AHMEDABAD — As Gujarat voted in the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday, political pundits seem bewildered as to why did Congress did not field any Muslim candidate in the state where traditionally it has been doing so for decades.
The Congress decision has also sparked a debate within the party ranks, particularly regarding the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat, which has consistently seen Muslim candidates from the party. However, as per the opposition alliance’s seat-sharing agreement, the Bharuch seat has been allocated to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) this time.
Among the major national parties, only the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has nominated a Muslim candidate, contesting from Gandhinagar. This move by the BSP echoes its 2019 Lok Sabha elections strategy when it also fielded a Muslim candidate from Panch Mahal.
Data from the Election Commission reveals that a total of 35 Muslim candidates are contesting in 25 of 26 seats in Gujarat this time, showing a decrease from the 43 candidates in 2019. Most of these candidates are either contesting independently or representing lesser-known parties.
Wazir Khan Pathan, President of the Gujarat Congress Minority Department, shed light on the party’s decision, stating that the Congress has historically nominated at least one Muslim candidate for Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat. However, this time, due to seat allocation arrangements, it was not feasible. Pathan claimed that although the Congress offered a seat to a Muslim candidate, community members declined due to slim chances of winning. He emphasised the lack of viable opportunities for Muslim candidates in the current electoral landscape.
Notably, two Muslim-populated seats in Ahmedabad West and Kuch are reserved for Scheduled Castes. In the past, the Congress had fielded Muslim candidates from Navsari and Ahmedabad constituencies, which were later divided into Ahmedabad East and West seats.
