Bijnor: Since independence, Bijnor Lok Sabha seat has had only one Muslim MP, in 1957, despite the fact that 30% of the voters here are Muslims. Now, as the general election is round the corner, the candidates fielded by various political parties are all non-Muslims and from the Gujjar community. While BJP has fielded Kunwar Bhartendra Singh, BSP has fielded Malook Nagar. Congress has fielded Indira Bhati and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party has fielded Isham Singh Gujjar. Of these four candidates, three are Gujjars.Kunwar Bhartendra Singh is a Jat and he has been BJP’s face in Bijnor for a long time. He was first elected as MLA in 2002 and became the irrigation minister in the BSP-BJP’s coalition government. He was again elected as MLA in 2012 and later became MP in 2014. The Muzaffarnagar riot had brought him into the spotlight when he was booked for instigating mobs during the riots.BSP's Malook Nagar, a Gujjar, had contested in Bijnor in 2014 but lost the polls as he failed to win the support of the Muslims. This time, he is in a strong position as he is the consensus candidate of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance.Congress's Indira Bhati is the daughter of late deputy chief minister Babu Narayan Singh and sister of later MP Sanjay Chauhan, who was elected as an MP from Bijnor in 2009 on RLD-BJP alliance ticket. Bhati is also a Gujjar.Shivpal Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party's candidate Isham Singh too is a Gujjar.The telling point of the story is that there are three Gujjar candidates in fray while one is a Jat. Gujjar voters are decisive on this seat. All political parties are trying to rope in a Gujjar as there are around 1.20 lakh voters from the community in Bijnor seat, which was the stronghold of BJP. The tactic of fielding Gujjar candidates by other parties will hurt BJP badly.Though Muslims leaders have been sidelined, the minority voters will play the role of kingmaker in Bijnor. There are over five lakh Muslims here.As per data available at the election office, since independence, only one Muslim leader, Abdul Latif of Congress, was elected as MP from Bijnor in 1957. Congress's Nemisharan was the first MP of Bijnor after he was elected in 1952. Independent candidate Praksahveer won in 1962. Congress's Ramanand Shashtri in won in 1967 and 1971. In the 1971 bypoll, Congress candidate Ramdayal won. Mahilaal from the Janta Party had won in 1977 and Mangalram Premi of the Lok Dal won the seat in 1980. In 1984, Congress leader Girdharilaal won and after his demise, Meera Kumar won the bypoll on a Congress ticket in 1985.Mayawati also became an MP from this seat in 1989. BJP's Mangalram Premi won the LS poll in 1991 and 1996. SP's Omwati became MP from here in 1998. BJP's Sheeshram Ravi won the seat in 1999 and RLD-SP alliance candidate Munshirampal in 2004.This seat remained reserved for SC for a long time. In 2009, the seat became a general seat following the delimitation. Since then, some Muslim leaders tried their luck but could not succeed. In 2009, RLD-BJP's Sanjay Chauhan won the seat.This time around when BSP-SP combine made former MLA Mohammad Iqbal in-charge of Bijnor seat, Muslims jumped with joy but their euphoria was short-lived as BSP declared Malook Nagar as its candidate from Bijnor.Talking to TOI, Gulsher Alam, a resident of Chahsheeri mohalla, said, “There are over 30% Muslims in the Bijnor parliamentary seat. We had hoped that the BSP-SP_RLD alliance and the Congress will bank on a candidate from the minority community but they ignored us. Any Muslim candidate might win from the seat this time. However, most of the minority voters are committed to BSP-SP_RLD alliance, but a faction of them may opt for Congress.”

Stay updated with all the Meerut Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.