To compete with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, Congress is playing the game of Hindutva under the leadership of Kamal Nath. To balance secularism with Kamal Nath’s Hindutva, Rahul Gandhi will descend on Bhopal on Monday to woo Muslims. After addressing public meetings at Neemuch’s Jawad and Harda’s Timarni assembly seats, Rahul will address the battlefield in Bhopal in the evening. During this time, will he try to create an atmosphere in favor of Congress by holding road shows in Muslim dominated areas as well as win the trust of Muslims?
Very little time is left for Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. Voting is to be held on 17th November, due to which the election campaign will end on 15th November. In this way only three are left before the election campaign ends. In such a situation, Congress is also putting its full strength in the campaign. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi is coming to Bhopal for the first time to hold a road show.
Rahul Gandhi’s road show in Bhopal
Rahul Gandhi is on tour of Madhya Pradesh and has 3 programs today. Rahul will address a public meeting at Dekan of Jawad Assembly in Neemuch district at 11 am on Monday. After this, after addressing the public meeting in Sirali of Timarni assembly of Harda district, he will leave for Bhopal. Rahul’s entire focus is on Muslim voters and Kamal Nath will be with him during the road show in Bhopal.
Rahul Gandhi will reach Bhopal around 4.30 pm, where he will get down from the airport and go to Emami Gate. Rahul Gandhi will start the road show from Emami Gate and it will end at Kali Mandir intersection via Peer Gate, Moti Masjid. Rahul Gandhi will seek votes for Congress candidates from two Bhopal assembly seats (North and Central region) in his road show of about two kilometers. After this, Rahul Gandhi will also address a public meeting near Narmada intersection in Ashoka Garden from 7 pm onwards.
Congress fielded two Muslim candidates
Out of 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh, Congress has fielded only two Muslim candidates this time. Both the Congress candidates are from Bhopal. Arif Masood has been made the candidate from Bhopal’s Central Assembly seat and Arif Akil’s son Atif Akil has been made the candidate from Bhopal’s North Assembly seat. Congress had fielded three Muslim candidates in 2018, out of which 2 were successful in winning. This time, Congress has once again expressed confidence in the sitting MLA Arif Masood and has placed its bet on the son of sitting MLA Arif Akil on the second seat. Rahul Gandhi is trying to create an atmosphere in favor of both Muslim candidates of Congress through road shows.
Congress has expressed confidence in Muslim candidates on two seats, whereas BJP has not given ticket to any Muslim this time. BJP had fielded a Muslim candidate in 2018. Rahul Gandhi will be seen trying to woo the 7 percent Muslim voters of Madhya Pradesh by campaigning on both these seats of Bhopal. The route of Rahul Gandhi’s road show has been planned in such a way that Muslim dominated areas can be covered. In such a situation, Congress is trying to give the message that its party stands with the Muslims. In Madhya Pradesh, Muslim voters have the power to make or break the game of any party on about 22 seats.
Balance of secularism with Hindutva
This time in Madhya Pradesh, Congress is openly playing the game of Hindutva under the leadership of State President Kamal Nath, due to which it is maintaining distance from Muslims. This time Congress has cut the tickets for Muslims and has fielded two candidates. For the first time in the history of the state, so few candidates have been given. Congress has limited Muslim candidates to Bhopal only. This is the reason why Rahul Gandhi himself has to come down to settle the equation in Muslim areas. The way Rahul Gandhi has limited his road show in Bhopal to North and Central seats, it can be clearly understood that there is a strategy to create a balance with Muslim voters.
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7 MLAs were elected in 1962
Even though the population of Muslims in Madhya Pradesh is 7 percent, they play an important role in 2 dozen seats. Muslim voters won the assembly seats of Bhopal Central, Bhopal North, Sihaur, Narela, Dewas, Jabalpur East, Ratlam City, Shajapur, Gwalior South, Ujjain North, Sagar, Satna, Rewa, Khargone, Mandsaur, Depalpur and Khandwa. -Determine the role of defeat. Despite this, Congress has fielded Muslim candidates on only two seats so that it can face the allegations of appeasement being made by BJP. Kamal Nath is openly playing the game of Hindutva and has kept Muslim leaders away.
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Maximum seven Muslim MLAs were elected in the 1962 assembly elections. In 1972 and 1980, 6 Muslims each became MLAs, while in 1985, 5 Muslims won the assembly elections. Not a single Muslim MLA could win in the 1993 MP Assembly elections held after the Babri demolition, but the then Chief Minister Digvijay Singh had given Muslim representation in his cabinet. In such a situation, this time Congress has given tickets to Muslims on Bhopal seats only, while Owaisi has entered the election field accusing Muslims of not giving tickets as per their share.
