riju78
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RAJKOT: Bibben Sama is on cloud nine and her joy is understandable. She is the only Muslim candidate of BJP to have come out winner in the polls for six municipal corporations across the state. She and her husband Habib Sama, who tirelessly led her campaign, said she got support of voters from both Hindu and Muslim communities.
A class VI dropout, Bibben made her maiden public appearance during this election. Earlier, she would always be covered in a burqa, but now she wears a sari with aplomb and feels very comfortable in her new look. She gives credit to her husband for supporting her all along. Habib, who has been in the construction business in Muslim-dominated Jangleswar area for about 35 years, is the leader of BJP's minority cell in Rajkot.
Bibben says her husband has earned a lot of goodwill from the residents of her area. Their support and the development work carried out by BJP in the city played a major role in her victory.
"I have been associated with BJP for at least 15 years now. I have a good rapport with people from all the communities. This area was once considered a Congress bastion and BJP faced problem in even setting up a party office, leave alone getting the locals' support in the elections. But, the BJP's panel which won the election here the last time had done good work for Muslims. This went a long way in helping us in this election," said a beaming Habib.
He said the Muslims had been voting for Congress for more than four decades, but the community felt it was time to look at things from a different perspective. "There is a perception that BJP is against Muslims, but this is not true. BJP is now focusing on Muslim-dominated areas. All it needs to do is to select proper candidates to bridge the gap between the party and the Muslim population," he said.
"Only giving tickets to Muslims will not be enough. The party should pick leaders who have worked for people," said Bibben, adding that even before her family got into electoral politics, it was working for people. "Now our responsibility has gone up. We know which areas we need to work on and we just have to implement government's fund properly in areas where it is needed most," said Bibben.
"Despite being a Muslim woman, I was supported by people from all the communities. We will try our best to prove what a Muslim woman can do if given the chance,'' said Bibben with confidence.
'I'll show what a Muslim woman can do if given chance' - The Times of India
A class VI dropout, Bibben made her maiden public appearance during this election. Earlier, she would always be covered in a burqa, but now she wears a sari with aplomb and feels very comfortable in her new look. She gives credit to her husband for supporting her all along. Habib, who has been in the construction business in Muslim-dominated Jangleswar area for about 35 years, is the leader of BJP's minority cell in Rajkot.
Bibben says her husband has earned a lot of goodwill from the residents of her area. Their support and the development work carried out by BJP in the city played a major role in her victory.
"I have been associated with BJP for at least 15 years now. I have a good rapport with people from all the communities. This area was once considered a Congress bastion and BJP faced problem in even setting up a party office, leave alone getting the locals' support in the elections. But, the BJP's panel which won the election here the last time had done good work for Muslims. This went a long way in helping us in this election," said a beaming Habib.
He said the Muslims had been voting for Congress for more than four decades, but the community felt it was time to look at things from a different perspective. "There is a perception that BJP is against Muslims, but this is not true. BJP is now focusing on Muslim-dominated areas. All it needs to do is to select proper candidates to bridge the gap between the party and the Muslim population," he said.
"Only giving tickets to Muslims will not be enough. The party should pick leaders who have worked for people," said Bibben, adding that even before her family got into electoral politics, it was working for people. "Now our responsibility has gone up. We know which areas we need to work on and we just have to implement government's fund properly in areas where it is needed most," said Bibben.
"Despite being a Muslim woman, I was supported by people from all the communities. We will try our best to prove what a Muslim woman can do if given the chance,'' said Bibben with confidence.
'I'll show what a Muslim woman can do if given chance' - The Times of India