[Whether Narendra Modi is acceptable or not at the Center, but it is for sure that a sizeable section of Muslims have finally embraced Modi as their leader in Gujarat and voted for the BJP. Modi tried every bit to put Muslims in good humor by the hype created in favor of development in the state and enacting Sadbhavna Mission show. But at the last minute a fearful Modi thought it fit to protect his Hindutva hero image and decided not to field a single Muslim from BJP. On the other hand, the Congress Party saw a massive let down by Ahmed 'Miyan' Patel and turncoat Maulana Gulam Vastanvi. Ahmed Patel failed to veer Muslims around and urge them to vote for Congress Party and Modi-fied cleric Maulana Vastanvi also failed to convince Muslims that Modi was a 'zaalim and qatil'. Had these leaders made extensive efforts, the winnability factor of Congress Party could have been much greater. Congress Party is becoming increasingly acceptable among Muslims at the regional level. The party must cultivate leaders at the grassroots level, discarding people like Ahmed Patel and Maulana Vastanvi, and seize the initiative by going in for the kill during 2014 general elections as I foresee the return of UPA to power at the Centre for the third successive time. -- Danish Ahmad Khan, Founder-Editor, IndianMuslimObserver.com]
By Abdul Hafiz Lakhani
Ahmedabd: Has Narendra Modi's 'Sadbhavana Effect' resulted in more Muslims voting for the BJP this time?
By looking closely at the result, it can be concluded that Muslims particularly rich and educated voters have voted in favour of BJP. In the aftermath of infamous 2002 riots, Narendra Modi's rule largely proved to be successful and peaceful since no serious communal clashes occured in the state. and not a curfew even for a day. These factors seem to have appealed greatly to the wealthy and business class Muslims, who turned out to vote in large numbers for Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The party would certainly like to make everybody believe these facts. and, why not? The BJP has backed its claim by showcasing the fact that it won 24 constituencies, which have more than 15% Muslim voters this time. That's a gain of six seats since 2007 election, when they had won 18. The Congress, however, has rejected this claim.
Modi was criticized for not giving a single ticket to Muslims this time, and yet his party snatched five Muslim-dominated seats which used to be with the Congress.
There were seven new seats born after delimitation with more than 15% Muslim voters. Of these, BJP won five, while two went to the Congress. BJP leaders claim Muslims have voted for the BJP even in Ahmedabad's ghettos. The Vejalpur seat, which has 90,000 Muslim voters in Juhapura and Sarkhej localities, saw the BJP candidate winning by 40,000 votes.
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BJP minority cell head Sufi Mehbub Ali said, "Looking at the margin of victory on such seats, we believe that up to 40% Muslims voted for us." Asifa Khan, who switched over to the BJP from the Congress hails from Muslim-dominated Bharuch. The BJP won four of the five seats here. "We have bagged 22 of the 30 seats. This is an indication that Muslims seem to have reconciled with the BJP."
Moreover, Ahmed Patel, Political Advisor to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, could not be able to muster win even on his home turf -- Bharuch district -- where all five seats went to BJP. It is widely believed that Ahmed Patel has lost winning tricks in Gujarat and even Muslims are not happy with him. According to some highly placed sources, he is the one responsible for Congress debacle in the state. He made some blunder in selecting the candidates in the state, it is alleged.
Modi-fied Maulana Vastanvi's appeal fails
Recently during the Gujarat elections, Modi-fied Maulana Vastanvi had after praising Modi and being thrown out of Darul Uloom Deoband as its Vice Chancellor, had appealed to the Muslims to vote for Congress at a public meeting in Surat. The turncoat cleric is now again speaking in other tone.
The BJP performed well in most seats with a high Muslim population. Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi, cleric and former Darul-uloom Deoband vice-chancellor, who lost his job last year because of his endorsement of Narendra Modi’s development plank, now says Muslims may have voted for the BJP but that was because they knew the Congress would lose rather than their belief in Modi’s development agenda. The BJP, he feels, did shrewd electoral management by fielding dummy Muslim candidates in assembly constituencies with a substantial Muslim presence, dividing the community’s votes.
Surat-born Vastanvi, the first Mohtamim (Vice-Chancellor) of the Deoband seminary from outside North India, kicked up a storm last year within days of his election to the post by claiming Modi’s development agenda had benefited Muslims. After many months of uncertainty, he was axed in July 2011, despite the reported clean chit to him in the report of the a committee that looked into allegations against him.
He seems to have since undergone a change of heart and in a recent public meeting in Surat described Modi as a “zalim” (tyrant), asking Muslims to vote for the Congress. As it turned out, the BJP did far better than expected in seats with a high Muslim population and increased its vote share at the expense of the Congress in some of them.
“I stick to my stand that Modi is a zalim (oppressor). I have never praised him,” Maulana Vastanvi reiterates.
[Abdul Hafiz Lakhaniis a senior Journalist based at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He is associated with IndianMuslimObserver.com as Bureau Chief (Gujarat). He can be reached at lakhani63@yahoo.com or on his cell 09228746770]
By Abdul Hafiz Lakhani
Ahmedabd: Has Narendra Modi's 'Sadbhavana Effect' resulted in more Muslims voting for the BJP this time?
By looking closely at the result, it can be concluded that Muslims particularly rich and educated voters have voted in favour of BJP. In the aftermath of infamous 2002 riots, Narendra Modi's rule largely proved to be successful and peaceful since no serious communal clashes occured in the state. and not a curfew even for a day. These factors seem to have appealed greatly to the wealthy and business class Muslims, who turned out to vote in large numbers for Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The party would certainly like to make everybody believe these facts. and, why not? The BJP has backed its claim by showcasing the fact that it won 24 constituencies, which have more than 15% Muslim voters this time. That's a gain of six seats since 2007 election, when they had won 18. The Congress, however, has rejected this claim.
Modi was criticized for not giving a single ticket to Muslims this time, and yet his party snatched five Muslim-dominated seats which used to be with the Congress.
There were seven new seats born after delimitation with more than 15% Muslim voters. Of these, BJP won five, while two went to the Congress. BJP leaders claim Muslims have voted for the BJP even in Ahmedabad's ghettos. The Vejalpur seat, which has 90,000 Muslim voters in Juhapura and Sarkhej localities, saw the BJP candidate winning by 40,000 votes.
Moreover, Ahmed Patel, Political Advisor to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, could not be able to muster win even on his home turf -- Bharuch district -- where all five seats went to BJP. It is widely believed that Ahmed Patel has lost winning tricks in Gujarat and even Muslims are not happy with him. According to some highly placed sources, he is the one responsible for Congress debacle in the state. He made some blunder in selecting the candidates in the state, it is alleged.
Modi-fied Maulana Vastanvi's appeal fails
Recently during the Gujarat elections, Modi-fied Maulana Vastanvi had after praising Modi and being thrown out of Darul Uloom Deoband as its Vice Chancellor, had appealed to the Muslims to vote for Congress at a public meeting in Surat. The turncoat cleric is now again speaking in other tone.
The BJP performed well in most seats with a high Muslim population. Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi, cleric and former Darul-uloom Deoband vice-chancellor, who lost his job last year because of his endorsement of Narendra Modi’s development plank, now says Muslims may have voted for the BJP but that was because they knew the Congress would lose rather than their belief in Modi’s development agenda. The BJP, he feels, did shrewd electoral management by fielding dummy Muslim candidates in assembly constituencies with a substantial Muslim presence, dividing the community’s votes.
Surat-born Vastanvi, the first Mohtamim (Vice-Chancellor) of the Deoband seminary from outside North India, kicked up a storm last year within days of his election to the post by claiming Modi’s development agenda had benefited Muslims. After many months of uncertainty, he was axed in July 2011, despite the reported clean chit to him in the report of the a committee that looked into allegations against him.
He seems to have since undergone a change of heart and in a recent public meeting in Surat described Modi as a “zalim” (tyrant), asking Muslims to vote for the Congress. As it turned out, the BJP did far better than expected in seats with a high Muslim population and increased its vote share at the expense of the Congress in some of them.
“I stick to my stand that Modi is a zalim (oppressor). I have never praised him,” Maulana Vastanvi reiterates.
[Abdul Hafiz Lakhaniis a senior Journalist based at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He is associated with IndianMuslimObserver.com as Bureau Chief (Gujarat). He can be reached at lakhani63@yahoo.com or on his cell 09228746770]