NCP Muslim leaders split on Tariq Anwar

MUMBAI: A section of minority leaders in NCP has slammed MP

Tariq Anwar

for quitting the party on September 28 on the grounds that party chief Sharad Pawar gave a “clean chit” to PM Modi on the Rafale deal. Pawar and other senior NCP leaders have clarified he did not do so.


“NCP’s Muslim cadre is intact and backs Pawar Sahab as the party chief. After Anwar’s resignation, we spoke to the minority members of the party and, except a few, all have reposed faith in Pawar,” said advocate Syed Jalaluddin, former chairman, NCP’s minorities department.

NCP spokesperson

Nawab

Malik said there was no support for Anwar. “Our minority cadre in Maharashtra is unaffected because nobody buys the excuse which Anwar used to quit,” said Malik.

Munaaf Hakim, former minorities panel chief and close aide of Anwar, claimed a chunk of Muslims back Anwar. “A huge number of Muslim workers of the party are awaiting his next move. We are not telling anyone to quit yet because right now we don’t have a platform to rehabilitate them,” said Hakim.