Muslims, Dalits unite to take on SP

Mulayam Singh has yet another problem on his hands. Muslim and Dalit outfits in the state have announced their decision to come under an umbrella to dislodge the Samajwadi Party from power.

Mulayam Singh has yet another problem on his hands. Muslim and Dalit outfits in the state have announced their decision to come under an umbrella to dislodge the Samajwadi Party from power.

At a meeting organised by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind on Tuesday, leaders of the PDF, Indian National League, Parcham Party of India (PPI), Momin Conference, National Loktantrik Party (NLP), Adhikar Manch, Ambedkar Samaj Party and Muslim Muttahida Mehaj decided to ally with secular parties in the coming Assembly elections. The leaders of the forum have reposed faith in former prime minister VP Singh and accepted him as the most credible face in Indian politics.

PPI national president Saleem Peerzada told The Indian Express that though this new forum has been approached by both the Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, a formal alliance with any of these parties is yet to come into force. He said VP Singh was a natural ally of secular and democratic forces and hence no one could ignore him. He added that the new forum was planning to contest on at least 125 to 150 seats, but the figure could be rearranged if an alliance works out with a national party works out.

Maulana Mujtaba Farooq, secretary of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in UP, announced that clerics such as Maulana Kalbe Jawad, Jameeat Ahle Hadees, Maulana Mufti Mukkarram of Fetehpuri Masjid, New Delhi, Maulana Mufti Abul Irfan and Qari Miyan Mazhari have extended their support to the move.