A Muslim candidate with a difference

MAHARASHTRA POLLS

It is 2 pm in Trombay. Once known as the home of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), now it is identified as a constituency from where the only Indian to be accused of the 9/11 incident in New York is contesting polls as an independent candidate.

As he walks around in a white Pathan suit, he appears no different than a regular politician. While it has become a predictable pattern for anyone who has been in jail to opt for politics, Afroze's story has a twist in it. Trombay, a large constituency with over 488,000 voters, has a large population of Muslims, almost 225,000.

Afroze, against whom char-ges under POTA were dropped recently, found many who wanted to capitalise his experience for their political gains, but few were willing to give him a ticket.

"I approached the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and also became the general secretary of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, but none of them agreed to give me the party ticket," he said.

"They were willing to use my case and the Gujarat riots to consolidate the Muslim vote-bank during the general elections, but not give me their official candidature," he said.

The Congress put up Mohammad Abrahani, who is from Central Mumbai, while the Sam-ajwadi Party has Maulana Attar who is actually from Mahim. His candidature and the funds for his poll campaign largely comes from the Mumbai Aman Committee, which also took up his case, and some say urged Muslims in Mumbai to vote tactically in the 2004 general elections to oust the NDA regime.

Afroze's support base is the youth, who readily identify with him and his plight. However, it is Afroze's promises to his constituents that reveals how far he has travelled from his POTA days.

"I promise to improve the water and electricity supply in Trombay. I also promise that I shall realistically work to improve the employment situation in the area," he said.

In fact, Afroze tries to play down the 9/11 angle and to play up the "local boy who deserves your support" one. According to Abdul Rahim Chand, a resident of Shivaji Nagar, it is only the SP candidate who brings up the case of Khwaja Younus, a suspect in the Ghatkopar blast who died in the police custody.

"Younus' case is important. But let us not forget, this too happened when the Congress was in power in the state," he said.

This is in fact the subtle shift that has happened in the Muslim vote, according to Lawyer Majid Memon who also defended Afroze. "there was an unprecedented support for the Congress in Mumbai from Muslim social and political organisations as it was imperative to remove the BJP government in the Centre," he said.

"Now they may find it difficult to completely overcome the anti-incumbency factor in the state," he added.

"I feel that attention will be focused on the 106 communal riots that took place in the state since the Congress-NCP took over, the death of Younus, and the utter lack of development work in Muslim dominated areas," he said.

In all there are 28 seats all over Maharashtra, which have a decisive Muslim vote. In Mumbai, the constituencies of Umerkhedi, Nagpada, Chinchpokli, Kurla, Nehru Nagar and Trombay are Muslim dominated.

"The Muslims may yet vote for the Congress-NCP combine, but they will have to give a firmer commitment to the community this time round, we have already done what we want for self preservation at the Centre," added Memon.