JOIN USSplit in Muslim votes, internal fight did SP in
The party, whose tally went down from 35 in 2004 to 24 this time, has come to the conclusion that it was done in by a split in the Muslim votes owing largely to the opposition within the party to former BJP leader Kalyan Singh’s proximity with the SP.
Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, who chaired a review meeting a few days ago, was told in clear terms that the way senior leader Azam Khan had raked up Singh’s involvement in the Babri Masjid demolition had an adverse impact on the party’s Muslim vote bank. A large section of Muslims deserted the party and, as a result, for the first time no Muslim nominee of the SP could make it to the new LS.
They also said the party high command should have taken action against Azam rather than allowing him to continue to spew venom at senior SP leaders.
Besides, the smaller Muslim outfits like the Ulema Council and Peace Party, which emerged in the run-up to the elections, also made a severe dent into the Muslim vote bank of the party, the leaders felt.
They said the SP had lost Azamgarh and Lalganj LS seats, as the newly-formed Ulema Council nominees had cornered a sizeable number of Muslim votes benefiting the opponents.
Similarly, at Dumariyaganj SP nominee and former UP assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey lost, as the Peace Party nominee weaned away Muslims from the party fold.
The leaders also complained squabble among the district leaders had cost the party dear in many places.
The SP fared badly in the Muslim-dominated areas and saw its vote share decline by over three per cent, besides losing 11 seats to its opponents.