New Delhi, April 27, 2024: In a significant move, Maharashtra Congress leader Muhammed Arif ‘Naseem’ Khan has tendered his resignation from the party’s campaign committee. His decision stems from the party’s failure to nominate any Muslim candidates in the state for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Expressing his disappointment, Khan addressed a letter to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, announcing his decision not to campaign for the elections. He highlighted the absence of Muslim representation among the candidates fielded by the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) bloc in Maharashtra.
“With a total of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the MVA has not nominated a single Muslim candidate,” Khan wrote in his letter.
The former state minister underscored the anticipation among Muslim organizations, leaders, and party workers for the Congress to nominate at least one candidate from the minority community. However, their expectations were unmet, prompting Khan’s resignation from the campaign committee.
In his letter, Khan revealed the queries posed by party members and minority groups: “Congress ko Muslim vote chahiye, candidate kyun nahi (Congress wants Muslim votes, but why not candidates).”
Moreover, Khan emphasized his resignation from the Maharashtra Congress Campaign Committee, signaling his discontent with the party’s decision-making process.
The Congress, in alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), is contesting 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra as part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Khan, who was vying for a ticket from Mumbai North Central, saw the party select city unit president Varsha Gaikwad for the constituency. Reflecting on this, Khan lamented the party’s departure from its long-standing ideology of inclusivity.
In a conversation with PTI, Khan expressed his dismay over the party’s deviation from its inclusive stance and its failure to provide representation to all communities in ticket allocation for the Maharashtra elections.
“I am unable to face questions of why injustice has been done (to minority groups),” Khan remarked, shedding light on the concerns raised by organizations representing minorities and party workers from these social groups.
As Khan’s resignation reverberates within the political sphere, it underscores the growing importance of representation and inclusivity in electoral politics.
