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UP Elections 2017: SP or BSP? Lucknow’s Shias, Sunnis divided

A prominent Shia cleric’s appeal to the community to vote for Mayawati’s BSP might have caused the Sunni vote to shift towards the ruling SP

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L to R: Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati
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If there is one place in the country that can break the myth about ‘tactical’ Muslim votes, it is Uttar Pradesh’s heart — Lucknow. On display on Sunday, when the state capital and its large Muslim population cast its ballots, was polarisation of the lesser known kind, the kind in which Shias and Sunnis are clearly divided between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Political observers say that the split in Muslim votes may benefit BJP candidates in at least two of the seven constituencies in Lucknow district. “Shias and Sunnis have a history in Lucknow. They have always made exactly opposite choices and this time too, the same will happen,” said a professor from Lucknow University.

The two Assembly seats in Lucknow district — Lucknow West and Lucknow North — have a significant population of both sects.

While Shia votes are likely to go to the BSP because Shia clerics, including noted Shia leader Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, has made an appeal for the same, the BSP’s arch rival SP is expected to get votes of Sunni Muslims because Sunni clerics Mufti Abul Irfan Mian Firangi and Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali have asked people to lend support to the SP.

Interestingly, in the past, the Shia community has been somewhat close to the BJP and Shias have voted in large numbers for former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Even in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the community supported Rajnath Singh.

Lucknow West has a population of nearly 3.8 lakh people with some 60,000 Shias, 40,000 Sunnis and about 2.5 lakh Hindus. Lucknow North has a population of about 4.2 lakh voters with roughly 30,000 Shias, 40,000 Sunnis and about 3 lakh Hindus.

Speaking to DNA, Maulana Jawwad admitted that his appeal for BSP votes may have caused Sunni Muslims to move away from the party.

He said, “I did not make this appeal (to vote for the BSP) in the capacity of a Shia but as a Muslim. To me, this appeal was necessary because Muslims seemed confused and no other political party has done anything for Muslims.”

Jawwad added that he has a following among Sunnis, too, and some Sunni organisations and Sunni clerics have also asked Muslims to vote for the BSP. He also pointed out that the BSP’s candidate from Lukcknow West, Armaan Khan, is Sunni.

He, however, said, “But yes, this is Lucknow and the Sunni-Shia divide still exists here. So, Sunnis may not vote for the BSP because of my appeal.” Aiming to dissociate himself from other Islamic clerics who appeal for one political party or the other, Jawwad also said that this is the first time that he has recommended any political party.

The Shiite population is a tiny fraction of the city’s 2.8 million, but significant enough to influence the outcome of elections in Uttar Pradesh.

A local Shia cleric, who did not wish to be named, said that the Shia leadership has been rather upset with the government of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav over the issue of Waqf properties and their management, after the government dismissed over four dozen ‘muttawallis’ (caretakers) and appointed new ones in their place.

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