Minorities likely to support TMC in Bengal during LS Polls

KOLKATA: Minorities in West Bengal, constituting nearly thirty per cent of the electorate, are likely to vote for the TMC to halt BJP’s advance, despite the presence of a secular alternative in the form of Left-Congress alliance, community leaders said.

According to minority leaders, Muslims in West Bengal, pivotal in several Lok Sabha seats, are inclined towards the Mamata Banerjee-led party, which they see as a credible force, unlike the Left-Congress alliance.

This inclination is particularly evident in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda, and Uttar Dinajpur, where minorities form the majority.

With the Indian Secular Front (ISF) opting to go solo, efforts to woo minorities might become more challenging for the Left Congress, especially with the saffron party capitalising on various polarising issues such as the Ram Mandir and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

West Bengal boasts the second-highest number of Muslim electorate in the country after Kashmir and Assam.

Even though there may be some discontent within the community regarding the state government, religious minority leaders believe that voting for the TMC is crucial to counter the BJP.

Imams are likely to appeal to members of the community to ensure there’s no split in minority votes, which in 2019 contributed to the BJP’s success in minority-dominated areas.

“It must be ensured there’s no split in minority votes. The TMC is the best choice in most of the seats, whereas the Left and Congress are best suited in some seats of North Bengal,” said Qazi Fazlur Rehman, the Imam-eh-din, who leads prayers at the Red Road in Kolkata every year.

The president of the West Bengal Imam Association, Mohammed Yahya, said in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda, and Uttar Dinajpur, minorities might face a tough choice between the Left-Congress and TMC candidates.

“In these districts, the division of minority votes resulted in BJP victories in Uttar Dinajpur in 2019 and in one seat in Malda. However, this time around, minorities are expected to rally behind the TMC, similar to their support in the 2021 assembly polls,” he added.