SURAT: Sharp differences have developed among members of the minority community over seeking tickets from political parties, particularly Congress, for one of them to contest from an assembly constituency in Surat city.
Second generation leaders held a meeting here on Sunday to put pressure on political parties to nominate one among them as candidate, alleging that Congress too like BJP has begun neglecting the minority community.
However, a senior leader said, "Some people from younger generation have big dreams, but unfortunately they can't even win a corporation election."
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Firoz Malik is sympathetic towards those seeking party ticket. He said, "There is no doubt that there are some areas in Surat city where candidates belonging to minority community do well. Four councillors of Congress were elected from there. But to get ticket, a candidate has to meet certain criteria and the factor of winnability is always there."
Opposition parties see a good chance of winning in Surat East, which has 1.96 lakh voters with 84,000 belonging to minority community. In 2012 assembly elections, a candidate belonging to minority community had lost to ruling BJP candidate here by the lowest margin in the city.
"A minority community candidate has a realistic chance of winning from here. People get worried when they hear that candidate belonging to minority community would not be given ticket from here, though no one from the party has said anything like this," said Aslam Cyclewala, who is a councillor of Congress from ward number 18 of Anjana and Khatodara. Cyclewala and two other Congress councillors —Imran Solanki and Ruksana Jumma — were among those who had attended the meeting.
Former mayor and GPCC screening committee member Kadir Pirzada told TOI, "This talk of Congress not giving ticket to a minority community member is wrong. I was offered ticket from Surat east, but I refused due to personal reasons. The party is looking for a right candidate."
Cyclewala attended another meeting of the group on Monday. He said, "We want the party to give ticket to a candidate from the minority candidate from Surat east. If it is unable to do so, we must still ensure that we vote only for the Congress."
Second generation leaders held a meeting here on Sunday to put pressure on political parties to nominate one among them as candidate, alleging that Congress too like BJP has begun neglecting the minority community.
However, a senior leader said, "Some people from younger generation have big dreams, but unfortunately they can't even win a corporation election."
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Firoz Malik is sympathetic towards those seeking party ticket. He said, "There is no doubt that there are some areas in Surat city where candidates belonging to minority community do well. Four councillors of Congress were elected from there. But to get ticket, a candidate has to meet certain criteria and the factor of winnability is always there."
Opposition parties see a good chance of winning in Surat East, which has 1.96 lakh voters with 84,000 belonging to minority community. In 2012 assembly elections, a candidate belonging to minority community had lost to ruling BJP candidate here by the lowest margin in the city.
"A minority community candidate has a realistic chance of winning from here. People get worried when they hear that candidate belonging to minority community would not be given ticket from here, though no one from the party has said anything like this," said Aslam Cyclewala, who is a councillor of Congress from ward number 18 of Anjana and Khatodara. Cyclewala and two other Congress councillors —Imran Solanki and Ruksana Jumma — were among those who had attended the meeting.
Former mayor and GPCC screening committee member Kadir Pirzada told TOI, "This talk of Congress not giving ticket to a minority community member is wrong. I was offered ticket from Surat east, but I refused due to personal reasons. The party is looking for a right candidate."
Cyclewala attended another meeting of the group on Monday. He said, "We want the party to give ticket to a candidate from the minority candidate from Surat east. If it is unable to do so, we must still ensure that we vote only for the Congress."
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