Anger and disbelief; by-election result sparks accusations of voter suppression and manipulation
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – The results of the 2024 by-elections in Uttar Pradesh have sent shockwaves through the political landscape, particularly in the Kundarki assembly seat, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made an unexpected and controversial return to power after 31 years. Ramveer Singh, the BJP’s candidate, triumphed over Mohammad Rizwan of the Samajwadi Party (SP) by a staggering margin of 1,44,791 votes. This outcome, which has sparked widespread discontent, represents a dramatic shift in a constituency long associated with Muslim voters and the Samajwadi Party.
While BJP supporters have hailed the victory as a win for their party, the results have been met with anger and disbelief, especially among the Muslim community and political analysts. Kundarki, which has a significant Muslim population, has traditionally been a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, and this unexpected defeat for the party has raised uncomfortable questions regarding the fairness of the election process.
The BJP’s victory here marks a historic and unexpected shift. The constituency, which is home to approximately 60% Muslim voters, had been held by the Samajwadi Party for decades. Mohammad Rizwan, a prominent Muslim leader, had represented the constituency in multiple terms. In 2017, Rizwan defeated the BJP’s candidate by a slim margin of just 2,000 votes, setting the stage for a fiercely contested by-election this time.
Despite Rizwan’s long-standing connection to the local Muslim community, his defeat by a Hindu candidate has raised significant concerns. Ramveer Singh of the BJP secured a massive 1,70,371 votes, while Rizwan managed only 25,580 votes. The Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) was a distant third, securing just 14,201 votes. This dramatic result has led many to question whether the election outcome truly reflects the will of the people or if it is the product of electoral malpractice.
“We have lost not just an election, but our dignity,” said Rizwan, whose disbelief was palpable. He accused the authorities of manipulating the election process to favour the BJP. “It wasn’t the BJP that contested this election; it was the police and the administration working hand-in-hand with the BJP. Our voters were deliberately stopped from voting, and our agents were not allowed at many booths,” Rizwan claimed, referring to the alleged rigging and police interference on polling day.
Manipulation and Voter Suppression
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav strongly condemned the BJP’s tactics, labelling the result as a “robbery of votes.” On social media, Yadav described the election process as “the murder of democracy,” accusing the police of illegally checking voter IDs and Aadhaar cards with the intent of disenfranchising Muslim voters. “When our voters are being prevented from voting, what kind of democracy is this? This is an insult to the principles of free and fair elections,” Yadav asserted.
The SP has demanded a recount and even a repoll in Kundarki, citing numerous irregularities, including alleged coercion and voter suppression. However, its pleas have been largely ignored by the authorities. Disturbing footage emerged on polling day showing Rizwan engaged in heated exchanges with police officers at various booths, further fuelling accusations of electoral misconduct.
One of the most disturbing allegations put forth by Rizwan and the Samajwadi Party was the systematic silencing of a significant portion of the Muslim vote. “On the day of voting, several Muslim voters were intimidated and denied the opportunity to cast their ballots,” Rizwan claimed. He further argued that the police were complicit in these efforts, acting as agents of the ruling party rather than impartial election officials.
The BJP’s success in Kundarki is unprecedented, particularly given the seat’s Muslim-majority status. This is the first time the BJP has won Kundarki in over three decades. BJP’s Chandra Vijay Singh had secured the seat in 1993, but since then, it has been firmly controlled by the Samajwadi Party. Rizwan’s defeat is a major blow to the SP’s political dominance in the region and raises questions about the party’s ability to retain Muslim support in Uttar Pradesh.
Ramveer Singh’s campaign strategy was also unusual. He made a concerted effort to reach out to Muslim voters, even wearing a net cap and using Urdu and Arabic words in his speeches. Critics, however, have questioned the sincerity of this outreach, suggesting that Singh’s gestures were merely a tactical ploy to win Muslim votes.
“The people here were not Hindus or Muslims, they were human beings,” Singh stated in one of his speeches, attempting to present himself as a unifying figure. While his rhetoric appeared to promote communal harmony, critics viewed it as an insincere attempt to appeal to Muslim voters for electoral gain.
The Bigger Picture
BJP’s victory in Kundarki is part of a larger trend in Uttar Pradesh, where the party has managed to win six out of nine seats in the by-elections. This success reflects the growing influence of the BJP in a state where it has previously struggled to make significant inroads into Muslim-majority constituencies. However, this victory is also seen by many as a disturbing sign of increasing communal polarisation in the state.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath celebrated the BJP’s victory as a “victory of humanity over divisive politics” and reiterated his party’s message of unity, stating, “If we divide, we will be cut, but if we stay united, we will be safe.” However, his statements have been met with scepticism. Critics argue that the BJP’s growing use of religious identity in its political rhetoric is alienating minorities and deepening divisions.
For Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, the result in Kundarki is a deeply concerning development. The victory of a Hindu candidate in a Muslim-majority seat, combined with the BJP’s increasingly divisive rhetoric, has heightened fears of further marginalisation and exclusion. While the BJP celebrates its success, many in the Muslim community feel politically powerless and alienated.
BJP’s Tactics Condemned
Prominent Muslim leaders have condemned the BJP’s actions and expressed grave concern over the future of Muslim political representation in Uttar Pradesh. Maulana Imran, an influential cleric in Moradabad, voiced his fears, stating, “This is not just about a political defeat. It’s a defeat of the values that protect the rights of minorities in India. When Muslim leaders are silenced and their votes are stolen, it is not just an attack on one party, it is an attack on the entire community.”
Hafiz Ahmed, another key Muslim leader, echoed the sentiments, saying, “The people of Kundarki have spoken, but their voices were silenced by the forces of oppression. This election has revealed the ugly truth of how elections can be manipulated to favour one party. We will not accept this outcome and will continue to fight for justice.”
Challenges for Muslims
While the BJP celebrates its victory, the political future of the Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh remains uncertain. Allegations of electoral rigging, voter suppression, and the strategic manipulation of communal sentiments have cast a long shadow over the result. Muslims in the state are bracing themselves for a fight to protect their rights, their identity, and their place in the political landscape.
In the weeks to come, attention will turn to the legal challenges raised by the Samajwadi Party and the Muslim community. Whether the courts and election authorities intervene to address the concerns of manipulation or allow such practices to continue unchecked will have significant implications for the future of democracy in Uttar Pradesh.
As the controversy surrounding the Kundarki by-election unfolds, the message to the BJP is clear: This victory may be celebrated as a triumph of strategy, but it has raised the stakes for the Muslim community, who now face an even greater struggle to safeguard their rights in a state where communal politics is on the rise.
