By TwoCircles.net Special Correspondent,
Moradabad: People in Moradabad have now resorted to protest and even torched effigy of Mohammad Azharuddin for his alleged neglect of his constituency. They claim that Azhar has turned a Nelson's eye towards their district Moradabad after winning the election.
On Sunday, there was a protest on street by a local organisation who claimed that they had not seen Azhar for months now. According to them Azhar has hardly visited Moradabad 6-7 times after winning MP election in 2009.
Mohammad Azharuddin
Under the banner of Moradabad Jagriti Manch, people were on roads shouting slogans against Azhar. Later, they also torched his effigy. The protestors were claiming that it is hard to get an audience with Azhar.
Nitin Jaiswal, who heads, Moradabad Jagriti Manch stated that Azhar has promised 20 hours of power supply, setting up a cricket academy, an university, underpass at Govind Nagar but nothing has been done all these issues.
Besides these allegations a close look at Azhar's political role in Moradabad also does not look much shining. His party Congress fared badly in all the elections. Congress was hopeful that fielding Azhar from Moradabad will send good message among Muslims and it can reap benefits from the whole Moradabad division. However, leave aside the whole division; it could not win a single assembly seat in Moradabad.
Only two seats of neighbouring Rampur have been won by Congress. These include Nawab Naved Miyan from Swar and Sanjay Kapoor from Bilaspur in Rampur district. Both the candidates have their own clout.
A bye-election was held after four months of Lok Sabha elections in 2009 for Moradabad west seat. Congress candidate Saulat Ali lost to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Balram Saini. In the general assembly election of the state, Saulat Ali again contested from Kundarki in Moradabad and Azhar's charisma once again failed to click.
In the local bodies elections also Congress failed. Earlier it had nine corporators in Moradabad but after the election its tally was reduced to eight.
In upcoming elections both Congress and Azhar have to rethink about slipping an opportunity from their hands and losing grip over Muslim votes.