Delhi Cong Muslim leaders seek at least one LS ticket for one of them in capital

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi 

Already divided over whether to forge an alliance with the AAP, the faces fresh trouble with its senior Muslim leaders resenting that they may be denied party tickets in the polls.

The resentment by the Muslim leaders of the party's Delhi unit has come to the fore days before finalisation of the list of candidates on seven parliamentary seats in the capital.

The letter signed by Mateen Ahmad, Shoiab Iqbal, and also mentions the name of working Haroon Yusuf, a five-time MLA, for consideration of the party ticket from Delhi.

Besides Haroon Yusuf, and too were elected five times, while and were elected twice to the

"Keeping in view the number of Muslim votes, the contribution and track record of winning elections by the five Muslim leaders, one ticket must be given to anyone of them either from or North East Delhi parliamentary seat," the leaders said in the letter.

All the five leaders are "very popular" among the Muslims and other communities and "very active", said the letter addressed to Gandhi.

"There is very (much) resentment among the people and political circle as no Muslim has been given ticket from Delhi in 2019 elections," they said, expressing their fear.

The four leaders also met to register their protest on the issue.

"Dikshit said the tickets are yet to be announced in Delhi and promised to consider our demand," said after the meeting.

The list of Congress candidates on all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi may be announced Monday, said sources.

Nomination for the polls in Delhi will begin from April 16.

The voting for all the seven Delhi Lok Sabha seats is to be held on May 12 in the sixth phase of the elections along with a total of 59 seats across seven states.

The Congress has finalised names of its candidates on four seats while last minute discussions were on for the remaining three, AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress PC Chacko had said earlier.

Sources claimed the names of former Union and ex-JP Agarwal were finalised on and North East Delhi seats respectively.

The Muslim leaders are also eyeing the same two seats which have sizeable number of Muslim votes.

and were being considered actively as probable candidates for the North East Delhi and Chandni Chowk seats.

Yusuf said he has faith in the party and will "accept" its decision on candidates selection in Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sun, April 14 2019. 17:55 IST