New Delhi: The Delhi assembly elections on Dec 4 will see a slight increase in the participation of Muslim candidates from various political parties compared to the 2008 polls. The BSP has fielded the highest number of Muslim candidates along with Samajwadi Party,
Of the 810 candidates fielded for the 70 seats, a total number of 108 Muslims have been fielded - comprising 13 percent. In 2008, 92 Muslim candidates were fielded of the total 875 fighting the polls.
Muslims account for 11 percent of the 11.5 million voters in Delhi. The 70-member Delhi assembly has only five Muslim legislators.
"It is not just Delhi, but in all the state assemblies in the country Muslims have less representation," Sanjay Kumar, fellow at Centre for the Study of Developing Societies and author of the book 'Changing Electoral Politics in Delhi', told IANS.
Of the five Muslim lawmakers, four are from the ruling Congress. They belong to areas with sizeable Muslim population, including unauthorised and resettlement colonies - and comprise a major vote share of the oldest party in the country.
Around eight constituencies in Delhi have Muslim population of around 30-40 percent. These include Okhla, Mustafabad and Seelampur in east Delhi and Matia Mahal and Ballimaran in the Walled City.
Fielding a non-Muslim candidate in these seats is considered to be suicidal.
Kumar pointed out that elections in these constituencies are fought on local issues.
