'Congress Ko Muslim Vote Chahiye, Candidate Nahi': Party Leader Quits Over 'Unfair' Decision

In his letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Arif Naseem Khan expressed his inability to campaign for the party in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections."

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Amid the high-decibel Lok Sabha poll campaign, the Congress has faced yet another jolt from one of its party leaders who levelled some serious accusations against the grand old party. Former Cabinet Minister in Maharashtra Government and party's working president Mohd Arif Naseem Khan quit the party over 'unfair' treatment meted out to the Muslim community by the party. 

In his letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Khan expressed his inability to campaign for the party in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections."

Khan said that he won't campaign in the third, fourth and fifth phases as the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance did not field even a single Muslim candidate in Maharashtra which has a total of 48 seats. 

"Many Muslim organisations, leaders and also party workers from all over Maharashtra were expecting Congress to at least nominate one candidate but unfortunately, Congress has also not nominated a single Muslim candidate," said Khan, adding that they are now asking, "Congress ko Muslim vote chahiye....candidate kyun nahi?"

Khan said that he is upset with the 'party's unfair decision'.

The Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). The Congress has got 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats. Khan was reportedly upset with not getting the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha ticket from where the party fielded city unit president Varsha Gaikwad. 

His remarks are likely to make the contest tough for the party which is already facing appeasement allegations from the BJP-led NDA. During the ongoing election campaign, BJP leaders like Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath have accused the Congress of working to appease minorities, especially Muslims. The Congress has denied the allegations saying its manifesto is aimed at welfare of all sections of the society.