By Shaik Zakeer Hussain, TwoCircles,net,
Karnataka: Muslim candidates of political parties in Karnataka had both reasons to cheer and be depressed. Of the ones who cheered, were Congress's Feroz Nooruddin Saith (Belgaum Uttar), Qamar-ul-Islam (Gulbarga Uttar), Maqbool S. Bagawan (Bijapur city), U.T. Khader (Mangalore), B.A. Mohiuddin Bava (Mangalore North), Tanveer Sait (Narsimharaja), N.A. Harris (Shantinagar), R. Roshan Baig (Shivajinagar) and Dr. Rafeeq Ahmed (Tumkur city). From JD (S) it was Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamrajpet) and Iqbal Ansari (Gangavathi).
The major disappointment was meted to former Union Minister C.M. Ibrahim and C.K. Abdul Rehman Sharief, grandson of the former Union Minister C.K. Jaffer Sharief, and Naseer Ahmed, president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’s (KPCC) Minority Wing. They lost in Bhadravati, Hebbal and Kolar respectively. Former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abdul Azeem, from whom there were great expectations, was pushed to 3rd position in the Hebbal assembly constituency by BJP’s R. Jagadeesh Kumar, and Congress’s C.K. Abdul Rehman Sharief.
Many party insiders believe that fielding C.M. Ibrahim in Bhadravati was a blunder. Though he hails from the place, he had not been residing there for the last 30 years and local Congress workers had openly declared their dissatisfaction with party’s decision. The sitting Congress MLA, B.K. Sangameshwar contested the elections as an independent candidate causing the fatal damage.
Voters in the Hebbal assembly constituency, which has a huge Muslim presence, were also faced with a dilemma as to which candidate to elect, as both Congress and JD (S) had fielded candidates from the same community. Their votes were divided paving way to a BJP candidate.
Speaking to TCN, Abdul Azeem who was evidently miffed said, “There were two reasons for my defeat; Firstly, I was contesting against C.K. Jaffer Sharief’s grandson, C.K. Abdul Rehman Sharief; though he is no match to me, but the Congress used at least 15-20 Moulvis, who led a propaganda campaign against me, telling Muslim voters that if a JD (S) candidate is elected, then the party will again join BJP. Secondly, the BJP candidate also used similar tactic, by scaring the Hindu voters that voting Muslim candidates would lead to a creation of a Pakistan in this constituency”.
Azeem further said that, he has lost all hopes in politics, as there is no future for upright people like him in it.
Congress veteran Roshan Baig retained his seat as MLA from home turf Shivajinagar with no threatening competition.
In Mangalore North, which was considered a BJP stronghold, Mohiuddin Bava of Congress shocked everyone by defeating former minister and BJP candidate Krishna Palemar. It is to be noted that Palemar had resigned as a Minister on February 8, 2012 during the Karnataka porn video clip controversy.
Like in past the Muslim community in the state, has again chosen Congress as their political representative. Now will Congress work towards this community’s development or will it again restrict itself with empty promises, only time will tell.
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Karnataka 2013