"Might have to bear loss...": Naseem Khan over no Muslim candidate in MVA coalition

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 27 : After stepping down as star campaigner over no Muslim candidate in the MVA coalition in Lok Sabha Elections, Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan said that the party should look into the matter otherwise they might have to bear a loss in the Lok Sabha elections.
"I am not angry against any leader, the people who were a part of this decision, the people who might have briefed Congress High Command in a wrong manner, I am angry with them because of their decision to not field any minority candidate from the polls, because of which party is suffering. Party should definitely look into the matter otherwise they might have to bear a loss," Arif Naseem Khan told ANI.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Amin Patel said that Muslim leaders of the party suggested the Congress leadership to field Muslim candidates in Maharashtra.
"As far as representation of minorities is concerned, all Muslim leaders of Maharashtra - Naseem Khan, Aslam Shaikh, I - had spoken with the senior leaders of the party that from Mumbai or Maharashtra, a leader of the community should be given the seat...I too had demanded the same...Congress has fewer seats, we are contesting on 17 seats (in Maharashtra) and 2 (in Mumbai). The party's senior leaders and committee decided to field Varsha Gaikwad but I am confident, that going by the history of the party...I have had also had a word, party has assured me that in the time to come Assembly elections are going to be held in Maharashtra. MLC and Rajya Sabha elections will follow soon after, party will take care of the minority and give them representation," he said.
He further asserted that there is no "Modi wave" in Maharashtra adding that MVA would win more seats.
"Maha Vikas Aghadi is winning more seats in Maharashtra and those who say that there is a Modi wave, I would say that there is no wave now," he said.
AIMIM leader Waris Pathan reacted to the resignation of Arif Naseem Khan as a star campaigner of the party and said that the INDIA bloc must have given at least three tickets to Muslims.
"INDIA bloc did not give the ticket to even one Muslim in Maharashtra. There are 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. At least 3 tickets should have been given to Muslims. However, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance did not give a ticket to any Muslim. Why? You want the votes of 90 per cent of the Muslims but do not want to do anything for their political empowerment," Pathan said in a self-made video on Saturday.
Earlier today, Khan said that the people and organizations of minority communities are upset and angry with the party's decision.
Talking to ANI, Khan said that it has been Congress's ideology from the old days to take everyone along, irrespective of their community.
"In Maharashtra, there is a lot of anger in people and organizations of minority communities, because there is not a single candidate from minority communities in 48 Lok Sabha seats. I am also angry because it has been Congress's ideology from the old days to take everyone along, irrespective of whether they're from the minority community, OBC, Maratha community, SC or ST," the party leader said.
He further said that the people of minority communities expect their voices to be represented in the Lok Sabha but this time it's not happening and thus they are upset.
Khan also refuted claims of leaving his party and thanked All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) for their offer and said that he would stay in Congress.
"Since independence, Congress gave equal opportunities to minorities and every caste. There is no question about me as an individual. I'm a leader of the Muslim community and Muslims are asking me why no seats have been given for Muslim candidates. So what I told them, is a big question for me. I thank AIMIM for their offer but I will not accept that, no contact with AIMIM. I'm with Congress and I will stay in Congress," he said.
On Thursday, the Muslim Voter Council of India wrote a letter to Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and expressed their "disappointment" over not fielding Muslim candidates in the Lok Sabha elections.
The MVA recently announced its seat-sharing arrangement for Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha seats.
Under the arrangement, Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest 21 seats, Congress will fight on 17 seats and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) will put up candidates in 10 seats.
The elections in the state will be held in the state in five phases from April 19 to May 20. Votes will be counted on June 4.