Samajwadi Party’s Muslim gamble pays off in districts

ALLAHABAD: Breaking the previous records and speculations, three Muslim candidates have been elected from the Allahabad district in 2012 assembly election. All the three newly elected Muslim MLAs -- Sayed Ahmed (Phulpur), Parvez Ahmed (City South) and Ansar Ahmed (Phaphamau) – are from the Samajwadi Party.
Though Bahujan Samaj Party, Peace Party, Apna Dal and Congress too had fielded Muslim candidates, they drew a blank.
In 2012 assembly election, a total of 10 Muslim candidates were in the fray on 12 constituencies in the city and there a keen contest. Many parties were worried that Apna Dal candidate Atiq Ahmed, who was in the fray from City West seat, might divide the Muslim voters.
But, this did not happen as Muslim voters went for the Samajwadi Party.
Political analysts said there is adequate strength of Muslim voters in Phulpur, City South, City West, Pratappur and Phaphamau assembly segments and they were proved to be deciding factor during the polls.
Despite exhaustive campigning by the Congress and the Bahujan Samajwadi party, their candidate failed to win the seats.
There are 22 districts in the state, including Allahabad, where the population of Muslims is more than 20%.
Out of 123 Muslim-dominated assembly segments, the number was as high as 40-45% in regions like Moradabad and Rampur. While Apna Dal and the Peace Party alliance had fielded maximum four Muslim candidates in the district, Congress, JD(U) and BSP had fielded one each. The Samajwadi Party had fielded three candidates and all of them won.
Though Bahujan Samaj Party, Peace Party, Apna Dal and Congress too had fielded Muslim candidates, they drew a blank.
Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2012
Elections 2012 News