No tickets for Muslims in UP polls; rethink in BJP now

Lucknow: For the past five years, the minority cell of the BJP worked overtime to establish close contact with Muslim voters, but when it came to giving tickets to them in the UP Assembly polls, it was a different story.

The minority cell of the UP BJP had undertaken membership drives and also made efforts to reach out to a large section of the Muslim voters with an eye on the elections.

Though firebrand BJP MP Vinay Katiyar believes there is no point in giving tickets to Muslims, other like Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Uma Bharti and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, feel that the party could have given tickets to the community.

Union Minister Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti had on Monday echoed Home Minister Rajnath Singh's stand on BJP fielding Muslim candidates in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Bharti feels that the BJP committed a mistake by not fielding any Muslim candidate.

"I am really feeling sorry that we could not field a Muslim. I spoke with (BJP President) Amit Shah and (state party President) Keshav Prasad Maurya about how we could have brought a Muslim to the assembly," she has said.

Rajnath had earlier said that Muslims should have been given tickets by the BJP in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Naqvi, while reacting to the issue, had said, "As far as tickets are concerned, it would have been better if the tickets were given to Muslims. We will address their (Muslim party workers) concerns by compensating them when we form the government in the state."

BJP state executive member Romana Siddiqui told PTI, "Under different programmes and campaigns conducted by the minority cell of the BJP, the party's membership count swelled to over 2 lakh. The writing on the wall is now clear that minorities do not consider BJP as politically untouchable."

She said as per her party's directive, she took part in election campaigning in Gautam Buddh Nagar. "However, owing to some problems at home, I had to stop midway," she said.

When asked as to why the party refrained from giving tickets to Muslims, Siddiqui said, "I feel the party needs more time in shortlisting a Muslim candidate for different elections. I think the party is yet to completely repose faith in Muslim candidates."

On whether Muslim party workers have been promised any government posts or ministerial berths, in case the party forms the government, Siddiqui, said, "The party knows about the contributions made by us, and would definitely look after our interest."

She, however, refused to comment on the nature of posts, which could be offered to the party's Muslim workers.

Co-convenor (organisation) of Muslim Rashtriya Manch (an outfit owing allegiance to the RSS) Merudhwaj Singh Chandel, feels that if the Muslim party workers are competent enough to test the poll waters, they must be given a chance to prove themselves.

"For the past few years, a number of Muslim party workers have been working in close sync with the BJP.

 Though the final decision to give tickets rests on the party, yet those who have rendered exemplary performance in resurrecting the organisation must be suitably rewarded and compensated, which includes giving party ticket," he said.