Lucknow: As the curtains came down for campaigning for the first phase of Assembly election on 73 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh on February 11, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari surprised many by openly urging Muslims to vote for BSP in the Uttar Pradesh elections.
Just a day before, Rashtriya Ulema Council had also made an appeal to Muslims voters to give a chance to BSP in UP State Assembly Elections.
Will such statements by Bukhari and Ulema Council really make any impact in the upcoming elections or will the Muslim voters cast their vote unaffected? Many political pundits feel that this statement of Bukhari can cause a little dent to the Samajwadi-Congress alliance if not much.
The first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh comprises of many seats where Muslims voters hold the key. In such scenario, the announcement made by Bukhari carries a strategic importance too. Making his announcement Imam Bukhari said, “The state government led by Samajwadi Party has done nothing for Muslims in the last five years, also the community had a tough time in the state in the SP regime. Sighting which, all Muslims should come united and vote in favour of Bahujan Samaj Party.”
He just didn’t stop there and even accused Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav of cheating Muslims and claimed that the Samajwadi government has acted against the interest of Muslims. “I met Mulayam several times on the issue of reservation for Muslims and Netaji brought the same to the notice of Akhilesh Yadav but he did nothing. Akhilesh didn’t listen to his father. How can you rely on a person who has ill treated his father,” Bukhari said.
A day before this announcement Rashrtiya Ulema Council had also issued a similar appeal and asked Muslim voters to vote for BSP. National President of Ulema Council Maulana Amir Rashadi hosted a joint Press Conference along with BSP leader Nasimuddin Siddiqui and requested all the Muslims to vote against Samajwadi Congress alliance as they have done nothing for the community and they should vote for BSP instead in the upcoming polls. “It is the need of the hour that we (RUC) should work together with BSP to defeat fascist forces and provide relief to the state from Gundaraj and Parivarwad. The anti-Muslim attribute of Akhilesh has been even pointed out by his father. When he could not win the confidence of his own father, then how could he win the confidence of the community,” Rashadi stated.
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