Maharashtra Assembly elections have not been formally announced yet, but political activities are intense. In such a situation, North Indian Muslims dominate the politics of Mumbai and non-Marathi people. Marathi and Muslim leaders who have come from other states have tried many times to break the political dominance of North Indian Muslims, but till now they have not been successful. This time also in the assembly elections, North Indian Muslim leaders are trying their luck from the Muslim dominated seats of Mumbai. In such a situation, it remains to be seen how many North Indian Muslims from Congress to NCP and SP are fielded as candidates?
There are 12 percent Muslim voters in Maharashtra, who have the power to make or break the political game in the electoral field. Plays an important role in about 40 to 45 assembly seats in the region of North Konkan, Marathwada, Western Vidarbha and Mumbai. 10 Muslim MLAs won in the 2019 elections, out of which six MLAs are from Mumbai area. Only through this can Muslim politics in Mumbai be understood and in 2024 also, North Indian Muslims are trying to contest the elections on these six seats.
There is a continuous round of brainstorming and meetings going on among political parties regarding seats and candidates for the 2024 assembly elections. In such a situation, everyone's eyes are on how many of the 36 seats in Mumbai will the political parties field Muslim faces in the election field. BJP, which is in power in the state, and CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena are unlikely to get a ticket for a Muslim on any seat in Mumbai, but Ajit Pawar's NCP may try to field a Muslim candidate on two to three seats.
The three Muslims who are being discussed about contesting elections from Mumbai from Ajit Pawar's party, all three are North Indian Muslim faces. Zeeshan, son of former minister Baba Siddiqui, can be a candidate from Ajit Pawar's NCP for Bandra West Assembly seat. Apart from this, Nawab Malik, MLA from Anushakti Nagar seat, can contest from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat this time. Nawab Malik is preparing to field his daughter Sana Malik from Anushakti Nagar seat. Zeeshan is from Bihar while Nawab Malik has come from Uttar Pradesh and settled in Mumbai.
At the same time, from Congress and Sharad Power's NCP to Samajwadi Party, there can be a bet to give tickets to the Muslims of North India. Congress can re-nominate all the three Muslim MLAs who won from Mumbai. As a North Indian Muslim face, Congress can once again field Naseem Khan from Chandiwali seat and Aslam Shaikh from Malad. Apart from this, Congress can again give ticket to Amin Patel from Mumbadevi, who comes from Gujarat. In this way, out of the three seats in Mumbai, Congress will stake North Indian candidates on two seats and non-North Indian candidates on one seat.
The entire politics of SP depends on North Indian Muslims only. Sitting MLA Abu Asim Azmi himself will contest from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar assembly seat and film actress Swara Bhaskar's husband Fahad Ahmed can be made a candidate from Anushakti Nagar seat. Apart from this, SP is also in the mood to field North Indian Muslim candidates in Bhiwandi and Malegaon seats outside Mumbai. Similarly, Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM is also in the mood to play Muslim bets on Mumbai seats.
Nawab Malik was elected MLA from SP for the first time and used to be close to Abu Azmi, but later on, there was such enmity between Azmi and Malik that both remained away from each other for years. While Malik and Azmi will contest from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, his daughter's contest will be between Fahad Ahmed, who comes from UP, on the Anushakti seat. All these four leaders are from Uttar Pradesh. Fahad comes from Baheri in Bareilly while Abu Asim is from Azamgarh.
Considering the political hold of North Indian Muslims in Mumbai, all the major political parties Congress and NCP have been giving a prominent place not only to the North Indian Muslim leadership but in power and organization. Apart from this, they provide ample opportunity to contest elections. Although. There has been no major change in the circumstances of North Indian Muslims. In Mumbai, Khan, Sheikh, Azmi and Malik belong to Uttar Pradesh. Baba Siddiqui is not accepted by Muslim North-Indian leaders, but he is from Bihar. Amin Patel is a Gujarati Muslim.
NCP sent renowned lawyer Majeed Memon to Rajya Sabha and gave the red light of Minority Commission to Munaf Hakim. Munaf Hakim is the Marathi Muslim face of NCP while Majeed Memon is a Gujarati Muslim. Marathi Muslims are no match for the dominance of North Indian Muslims. Amin Patel, Yusuf Abrahani and Hussain Dalwai have been forming their political alliance to politically weaken the North Indian Muslim lobby, but till now they have failed.
About 70 percent of the total population of Muslims living in Mumbai are North-Indian, the remaining 30 percent includes Marathi, South Indian, Gujarati and Muslims from other states. Congress continued to field Muslim candidates on five seats in Mumbai, out of which four are North-Indian faces. Baba Siddiqui was once a veteran Congress leader, but has now joined Ajit Pawar's party. Naseem Khan, Suhaiya Ashraf and Syed Ahmed, who hail from Faizabad district, used to be the North Indian face of Congress, but now Aslam Shaikh and Naseem Ahmed are left. In such a situation, it remains to be seen whether North Indian Muslims are able to maintain their political dominance in the 2024 elections?
