Notable number of Congress Muslim candidates won assembly polls

NEW DELHI: The poll results show that Congress saw a notable number of Muslim candidates register victory in recent assembly elections, with 18 out of 19 Congress MLAs in Assam being Muslims. Kerala's victorious United Democratic Alliance (UDF) has 30 Muslim MLAs, with eight from Congress and the rest (22) from its ally IUML. The two winning Congress candidates in West Bengal are both Muslim. In Tamil Nadu, one Muslim candidate from Congress won.

Assam assembly results show the Opposition’s limited success in state was heavily concentrated in Muslim-majority regions, with 22 of its winning candidates belonging to the community and most victories coming on seats with high Muslim population shares.

Of the 126 assembly seats, the opposition bloc — comprising Congress, All India United Democratic Front, Raijor Dal and TMC — won 24 seats. Except for Parbat Jhora in Kokrajhar and Nowboicha in Lakhimpur, all Congress wins came from Muslim-majority constituencies, including 10 seats where community accounts for over 80% of population.

The demographic pattern is clear. Among 22 constituencies with Muslim MLAs, five have over 90% Muslim population, six have over 80% and eight have over 60%.

In Kerala, of the 35 Muslim MLAs elected to Kerala Assembly, 30 are from Congress-led UDF. Congress’s eight Muslim MLAs are from Nilambur, Ponnani, Kalpetta, Aluva, Aroor, Kochi Chadayamangalam and Vamanapuram. The demography as per Census 2011 of some assembly seats from where Congress candidates won shows that they are Muslim dominated or have a substantial Muslim population, like Nilambur (over 70%), Ponnani (over 68%) and Kalpetta (35-40%).

The two seats Congress won in West Bengal too have high Muslim population -- Farakka and Raninagar, with 67% and 80%, respectively, as per Census 2011.

In the case of Tamil Nadu, Congress nominated two Muslims, of whom one won from Mayiladuthurai seat. Congress won five seats in all in state.