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Muslims demand more candidates in coming polls

JAIPUR: Muslim leaders of the Congress in Rajasthan have demanded fielding of candidates in the coming State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in proportion to the community’s percentage in the population. The leaders felt that the share of Muslims in the Pradesh Congress Committee establishment was also inadequate.

Muslim MLAs, former MPs, Zila Pramukhs, Sarpanches and retired government officers attending a daylong convention on the issue here on Sunday said the Muslim community expected the Congress to take concrete steps for its “political empowerment”.

This could be ensured by giving tickets to more candidates in the polls.

They called upon the Congress to field at least 30 Muslim candidates in the Assembly elections and three in the Lok Sabha polls. Besides, there should be a Muslim secretary in All-India Congress Committee, more Muslim office-bearers in the PCC, two Muslim members in the Election Committee and at least one Muslim president of a front organisation of the party, said a resolution adopted at the convention.

PCC vice-president and sitting MLA Aimaduddin Ahmed Khan presided over the convention. He will head a committee to be constituted shortly to refer the convention’s resolutions to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and seek their implementation.

Nagar MLA M. Mahir Azad said the Muslim candidates were often not in a position to win the elections on their own and they needed support from other sections of society.

“The support is not forthcoming when it is needed the most, leading to a constant decline in the number of Muslim MLAs in Rajasthan,” he said.

Fatehpur MLA Bhanwaru Khan felt that the Muslim community should show its political strength to all the parties by holding regular public meetings, rallies and conventions. A huge rally may be organised here shortly.

The participants accused the BJP-led government in the State of failing to take measures for development of the community. They said most of the minority institutions were defunct or being misused by the people heading them and demanded that the Rajinder Sachar Committee’s recommendations be implemented without delay.

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