Jamaat-e-Islami Hind issues list of preferred candidates to check 'communal forces' - The Times of India
NEW DELHI: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has put out a list of candidates in order to ensure consolidation of Muslims in favour of those who are in the best position to defeat "communal and fascist forces".
The candidates recommended by the Islamic outfit belong to Congress and other non-NDA parties including AAP, SP, BSP, RJD, Trinamool Congress, Left Front, JD(U) and NCP.
Although Jamaat did not mention BJP, the reference to "communal and fascist" forces is seen as meant for the Narendra Modi-led party.
In one case, in Amravati constituency in Maharashtra, Jamaat has asked its supporters to exercise the "NOTA" option since it found no candidates to be suitable.
The list may interest political circles and observers also because it brings out the estimate of Jamaat — an outfit with a countrywide network — about which of the non-BJP party in a given constituency is likely to get more Hindu votes and, therefore, is best equipped to defeat saffron nominees. Going by the estimate, SP fits the bill in UP while Mamata Banerjee remains far ahead of Left Front in West Bengal. In Bihar, Nitish Kumar, who broke with BJP over Modi's projection as PM, is trailing far behind his secular rival, the Congress-RJD combine.
Another organization, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the largest body of Sunni Muslim clerics, has also appealed for support to "secular" candidates but has refrained from putting out a list. "We are asking people to vote for candidates who are secular and promote communal harmony," said a JuH leader.
So far, the Jamaat has recommended candidates in 32 out of 80 parliamentary constituencies in UP. In 17 of these seats, the JiH supports SP candidates, including in Kairana adjoining Muzaffarnagar where many villages were hit by riots last September.
In Baghpat, JiH supports the SP candidate pitted against RLD chief Ajit Singh. However, in Mathura, Jamaat has recommended Singh's son Jayant Chaudhary.
The JiH has supported BSP in eight seats, including Qadir Rana in Muzaffarnagar who is accused of provocative speeches ahead of the riots.
The JiH also recommended Congress candidates in three of the 32 seats, including Salman Khurshid in Farrukhabad and Imran Masood in Saharanpur, hauled up for "hate speech" by the Election Commission.
In Bihar, the JiH has recommended candidates in six seats, including JD(U) in Munger, Nalanda and Arrah. In the remaining, its a choice between RJD and Congress.
In West Bengal, JiH recommended candidates in 34 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats. While expressing support for Trinamool Congress in most seats, JiH has recommended Left Front candidates in five seats.
In Delhi, JiH recommended support for AAP candidates in five of the seven parliamentary constituencies.
In Maharashtra, it's mostly a toss-up between Congress and NCP with a few AAP and Welfare Party candidates thrown in. "It is time to decide whether we will have democracy or fascism, communal harmony or communal conflict, broad-mindedness or narrow-mindedness. Even a small mistake can throw us thousands of miles from our destination," said Nusrat Ali,JiH national secretary general.
In Jharkhand, the JiH recommended candidates in four seats — Lohardaga, Chatra, Palamu and Koderma. Of these, JiH has expressed support for Congress candidates in Lohardaga and Chatra, RJD in Palamu and JVM in Koderma.
JiH leaders explained the decision to bring out the list of their preferred candidates by saying that the country was passing through "a very critical and decisive moment".
"It must be our endeavour that secular votes do not get divided and split, else interests of the country, minorities and weaker sections would be endangered," Nusrat Ali said.
"We don't support any party, but look for candidates with democratic values, good character and free from corruption," said Mohammed Ahmad, JiH national secretary.
? Its weird but sad as everyone is after this 'vote bank' and the majority are of no use.
