http://m.timesofindia.com/PDATOI/articleshow/4329075.cms
Ulema want Cong-NCP to field at least five Muslims
29 Mar, 2009 0303hrs IST TNN[ Mohammed Wajihuddin ]
MUMBAI: Muslim clerics, representing almost all the Sunni sects like Deobandis, Barelvis and Ahl-e-Hadees, have raised the banner of revolt against the Congress-NCP combine in Maharashtra. The ulemas have unanimously given an ultimatum to Congress-NCP leaders to field at least five Muslim candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in the state failing which they will campaign against the UPA candidates. At a meeting, attended by over 50 imams of different mosques in the city and heads of dozens of faith-based Muslim organisations, at Islam Gykmkhana on Saturday, the ulemas passed a resolution which can add to the woes of the Congress-NCP combine. “Muslims constitute over 12% of the population in Maharashtra and we had demanded that Congress-NCP should field at least five Muslim candidates. But we’ve got just one, that too an 80-plus A R Antulay from Raigad whose winnability is doubtful due to his recent controversial remarks on the killing of Hemant Karkare in the 26/11 terror attacks,” said Maulana Athar Ali, head of the All India Ulema Association, which had convened the meeting. Maulana Athar took a pledge from all other clerics and imams for appeals from the mosques to vote for SP’s Abu Asim Azmi (Mumbai North-West) and BSP’s Mohammed Ali Shaikh (Mumbai-South) and non-Congress and non-NCP secular candidates. When asked if the clerics’ call to Muslims will end up strengthening the saffron alliance, Maulana Athar clarified: “Muslims have been kept under this psychological fear of the saffron parties coming to power. We were better off during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule in Maharashtra than we’re now under the Congress-NCP. Even the Sena-BJP will be forced to tone down their anti-Muslim agenda if they see our support coming their way.” The clerics who had invited several Muslim NGOs and activists for consultation debated the strategy—vote at any cost, if not for the victory of other secular candidates, then to defeat the Congress-NCP.
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http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=15&contentid=2009032920090329044207893e34abee9 (A TIMES OF INDIA PUBLICATION)
Ulema vow to defeat CONG-NCP
Say they will root for rivals unless ruling combine gives tickets to at least five Muslims from state by April 2
By Jyoti Punwani Posted On Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 04:42:07 AM
Samajwadi Party’s Abu Asim Azmi and (below left) Mohd Ali Shaikh from the Bahujan Samaj Party Angry with the Congress for not giving tickets to Muslims, and for not accommodating Muslim candidates from other ‘secular’ parties, a section of the city’s ulema on Saturday resolved to work for the defeat of the Congress-NCP combine – unless it declared the names of at least five Muslim candidates from Maharashtra by April 2. The meet, called by Maulana Ather Ali of the All India Ulema Council, who had contested as a Samajwadi Party candidate in the 2004 Assembly polls, also vowed to ensure the victory of the two prominent Muslim candidates from Mumbai: the Samajwadi Party’s Abu Asim Azmi, standing from Mumbai North West, and the BSP’s Mohammed Ali Shaikh, contesting from Mumbai South. Maulana Ather Ali criticised the lone Muslim candidate put up by the Congress in Maharashtra – A R Antulay. He was too old; his own MLAs were against him, and he had done nothing for Muslims, he said. On the one hand, said Ather Ali, the Congress had fielded Antulay; on the other, it had spurned Amar Singh’s request that the Mumbai North West seat be left for Abu Asim Azmi, to prevent a split in the ‘secular vote’. This, despite the fact that the Congress had no strong contender there. Meraj Siddiqui of the Samajwadi Party exhorted the ulema to use their clout in the community. For starters, they could use the Friday sermon to hammer home the importance of voting instead of staying home on polling day. He also held up the BSP as a role model. For years Kanshiram kept fielding BSP candidates, knowing they would not win. But he ensured the defeat of the ruling party, till every ruling party was chastened into asking for the BSP’s support. About 50 imams from masjids across Mumbai attended the meet held at Islam Gymkhana. But beyond the rhetoric, lie two harsh facts: a section of the ulema, led by Maulana Dariyabadi, general secretary of the Ulema Council, have decided to go with the United Democratic Front led by Maulana Ajmal. Secondly, privately, many ulema admit there’s little chance of the BSP candidate Md Ali Shaikh winning Mumbai South.
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BOTH ABU ASIM AZMI AND MOHAMMED ALI HAVE DEEP GRASS ROOT SUPPORT IN THEIR CONSTITUENCIES AND DESERVE TO BE ELECTED TO LEAD MUSLIM CAUSE IN INDIAN PARLIAMENT. THEIR VOLUNTARY COMMITMENT TO THE WELFARE OF AAM AADMI IS WIDELY KNOWN AND ACKNOWLEDGED.
GHULAM MUHAMMED, MUMBAI
GhulamMuhammed.Mumbai 
March 30, 2009 at 4:38 pm |
“BSP the only alternative to Congress, BJP”
Party to build an equitable society
Mayawati
Bhagalpur: Uttrar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati said here on Sunday that the Bahujan Samaj Party was committed to building an “equitable” society and the party was the only alternative to the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, whose “policies are influenced by big houses and brokers.”
Launching the BSP’s campaign for the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar at Sandis ground here, she alleged that both the Congress and the BJP had “grabbed power on the support of big industrial players and brokers and ruined the country during their stints in power.”
Well-being of all castes
“The country’s economy will never improve if its policies are being influenced by big houses and brokers,” the BSP leader said. She claimed the current economic slowdown and price rise were result of the policies followed by the Congress or the BJP-led governments and promised that she would pursue the policies which would uplift all sections the population. Ms. Mayawati said her party would ensure reservations for the well-being of all castes without being confined to the SC/STs’ interests alone.
“It is high time the BSP should come to power at the Centre,” she said, claiming that the Opposition parties were worried because of the BSP’s “clean, fair image and performance.”
“The BSP is the only party in the country which believes in doing and not just making promises which is evident from the work being done by it in Uttar Pradesh,” Ms. Mayawati said. She alleged the rival parties had done nothing for upper castes, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities, but during elections they would try to mislead them by announcing a plethora of schemes.
She was canvassing support for her party’s nominees, including Ajit Sharma (Bhagalpur), M.K. Singh (Banka), Navin Shastri (Munger), Bhagwan Das (Jamui), Madan Mohan Nishadh (Katihar), Asarfi Paswan (Khagaria), Navin Kumar Singh (Purnia), Kuber Alam (Kishanganj), in Bihar’s Bhagalpur, Kosi and Purnia divisions.
Expressing concern over large-scale migration of youths to other States in search of jobs, she said if BSP was voted to power, it would formulate a policy guaranteeing jobs to the unemployed in their respective States. — PTI
Mayawati big enough to drive choices
With States emerging as the principal battleground,Mayawati’s political charisma has shifted to a higher level-THREE BASKETS STUDY CIRCLE
How they stack up
Mayawati Manmohan Singh L K Advani
Strong Leadership 100 35 30
Honesty 100 30 25
Trustworthiness 100 20 0
In an image driven world, this Lok Sabha election stands out in that it is dominated one personality. Mayawati is the transformative figure such as U.S. President Barack Obama — Manmohan Singh and L K Advani is not even equivalent to Tony Blair, Mahathir Mohamad, Hugo Chavez or Sheikh Hasina around whom votes crystallise. A look at the popularity chart of the our leaders over the last decade reveals that the single exception to this was Mayawati who emerged as a national leader.
Same question
The figures are drawn from various surveys conducted by the THREE BASKETS STUDY CIRCLE. The surveys have always asked the same open-ended question (“Who would you like to be the Prime Minister of the country?”) to a representative national sample of respondents without offering any choices. About one-sixth of the respondents offered only Mayawati as a preference.
The latest such survey, the THREE BASKETS STUDY CIRCLE poll, was carried out in mid-January this year. It showed that only single leader enjoyed even 100 per cent support of the citizens for the Prime Minister’s position. Manmohan Singh at 12 per cent and Lal Krishna Advani at 10 per cent.
Other leaders
Other leaders who secured the support of at least one per cent or more were: Sharad Pawar (1.0),Lalu Prasad (0.9), Nitish Kumar (0.8).
If asked directly to choose the ‘best leader’ for the country from among Ms. Mayawati, Manmohan Singh and Mr. Advani, 80 per cent prefer Ms. Mayawati, Manmohan Singh 13 per cent,Mr. Advani at seven per cent.
When asked to compare certain attributes of these leaders,Ms. Mayawati was rated highest for being a strong leader, honest and trustworthiness leader .
These findings would disappoint Mr. Manmohan Singh and Mr. Advani.
They face a challenge from within their parties including their allies whose national rating stands at less than one per cent.