PATNA: A political slugfest has erupted in Bihar ahead of assembly polls over the RJD and other parties allegedly meting out shabby treatment to Muslims in distribution of tickets.
Parties have fielded only 35 Muslim candidates even as Muslims constitute nearly 17.7% of the state’s population. The RJD and Congress, two major allies of the INDIA bloc who claim themselves to be well-wishers of Muslims, have together fielded 28 Muslim candidates.
While the RJD, which is contesting 143 seats, has fielded 18 Muslim candidates, remaining 10 have been fielded by Congress, which is contesting 61 seats. The CPI-ML (Liberation) has fielded two Muslim candidates. Viakssheel Insaan Party led by Mukesh Sahani, another ally of the INDIA bloc, has fielded none.
In the NDA camp, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) has fielded four Muslim candidates out of 101 seats it is contesting this time. One ticket has been allotted to Muslim candidate by Union minister Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Patty (Ram Vilas). LJP (RV) is contesting 29 seats. In 2020 election, RJD had fielded 15 Muslims out of 144 candidates it had fielded. Congress had given tickets to 12 Muslim candidates out of 70 seats it contested.
NDA’s allies were less generous in distribution of tickets to Muslims as BJP did not give any ticket to Muslims. The JD (U), which had not named any Muslim candidate in its first list, finally gave four tickets to Muslims. Muslim representation in the Bihar assembly has fluctuated from time to time.
Between 1990 and 2020, it averaged around 8%. The 2020 assembly had 19 Muslim MLAs, representing 7.81% of the 243-member House. In 2015, the number reached 24 (9.87%), one of the community’s highest levels. Declines in representation have followed changes in party nominations and alliances.
Political analysts observed that Muslims got disenchanted with Congress after the 1989 Bhagalpur communal riots and also the party’s role in controlling communal flare-ups during LK Advani’s Ram Rath Yatra. They said RJD chief Lalu Prasad grabbed the opportunity to provide his party as an alternative before Muslims following their disenchantment with Congress. Muslims also having no other option switched over to the RJD fold in droves as the party built its electoral fortunes primarily on a platform of social justice, pitching for empowerment of OBCs, Dalits and Muslims.
On secular parties not going the whole hog in distribution of tickets to Muslims, the analysts said these parties become cautious in apprehension of polarisation of votes against them in the event of showing too much generosity in distribution of tickets to them.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan wrote on ‘X’, “In 2005, my leader, my father late Ram Vilas Paswan Ji, even sacrificed his party to make way for a Muslim chief minister, but you (RJD) did not support him then. RJD was not ready to give a Muslim CM in 2005, and in 2025 they are still unwilling to give either a Muslim CM or a Deputy CM. If you remain a vote-bank ally, how will you gain respect or true participation?”
