Bypoll 'sabotage' row: State Muslim clerics' body slams Congress over 'betrayal', warns of shifting vote bank

Bengaluru: The Ulama-e-Karnataka, the state’s representative body of Islamic religious scholars has accused the Congress party of systematic marginalisation of the Muslim community on Thursday. The group warned that the community, which has traditionally stood by the Congress like a rock, is no longer prepared to accept humiliation and disrespect.

The outburst follows the Davanagere South assembly by-election, where the Congress chose to field Samarth Mallikarjun, the grandson of the late veteran leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, despite reported assurances that a candidate from the minority community would be considered.

In a joint statement by Mufti Ifteghar Ahmed Qasimi (President, Jamiat Ulama Karnataka), Maulana Tanveer Peeran Haashmi, and Qari Zulfiqar Ahmed Noori, the religious leaders detailed a series of high-level meetings held in March 2026. According to the Ulama, they met with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala to demand representation in Davanagere.

"It was natural justice to field a minority candidate in at least one of the Davanagere constituencies given the population numbers. The late Shamanur Shivashankarappa himself had promised in 2023 that he would make way for a minority candidate in the next election. By ignoring this, the Congress has shown it takes our support for granted," they said.

The Ulama’s anger was further stoked by the recent removal of senior MLC Naseer Ahmed as political secretary to the Chief Minister and the resignation of K Abdul Jabbar, Chairman of the KPCC Minorities Cell. They termed these moves as disturbing signals of indifference.

They highlighted that while the Muslim community contributed to over 90% of the party’s vote share in the 2023 Assembly elections, key manifesto promises including the resolution of the Hijab issue, the Anti-Conversion Bill, and Muslim reservations remain unaddressed three years into the term.

"The perception that Muslims have no option other than Congress is entirely incorrect," the Ulama warned, adding that they are now convening internal meetings to deliberate on suitable steps to safeguard the dignity of the community, signaling a potential shift in the state’s traditional political equations as they wait for a response from the AICC leadership.