Bhopal: After defeating Congress in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls by garnering majority of Muslim votes, SP sought to woo the minority community in neighboring Madhya Pradesh by nominating Choudhary Munawwar Saleem of Vidisha to the Rajya Sabha from the state.
"By doing so, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has made an effort to attract the Muslim community in Madhya Pradesh...He could have easily accommodated any Muslim leader from UP but by nominating Saleem, it is trying to woo Muslims in MP as well," Congress leader and former Union Minister Aslam Sher Khan said.
Meanwhile, the lone Muslim MLA from Congress in Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Arif Aqueel, said SP will hardly get any benefit by this move as it has no foundation in the state. Only those voters who have a 50:50 mind towards Congress and BJP may go with the SP in the state, he said.
On whether BJP will get any benefit by nominating former deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Najma Heptullah, to the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh, Aqueel said, "What BJP has done for the community? Has it implemented the Sachar panel report or appointed any educated person in the Madarsa Board?"
"You cannot get the votes of the community merely by wearing caps," Aqueel said in an apparent reference to BJP leaders visiting Muslim households during festivals to appease them.
Hailing from Vidisha, Saleem has been close to the SP's Muslim face, Mohammed Azam Khan.
Even in the recently held UP polls, he remained active in the neighbouring state and worked extensively for the party.
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