Maharashtra: Cong MP raises questions over less representation to Muslims in party's poll panels

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Hussain Dalwai on Monday said that Muslims have very less representation in the committees constituted by the party for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.

"I feel minority communities have not received the representation in proportion to their population. There is only one person in the party's Strategic Committee. Someone like me should be on the Committee," Dalwai told ANI.

"Whenever there is talk with other parties, they ignore us and leave Muslims dominated seats for others to contest. I had come to meet KC Venugopal over this issue but he was not there," Dalwai said.

"Muslims have less representation on every committee. There are only two Muslims on the Manifesto Committee. It is important to raise the issues of Muslims. If you are so afraid of Muslims, then why do you need votes of Muslims," he said.

It is worth mentioning that Balasaheb Thorat has been made the president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC). He has replaced Ashok Chavan.

The state party unit has formed many committees in view of the upcoming elections. Prominent Muslim leaders including Hussain Dalwai, Muzaffar Hussain and Arif Naseem Khan have been made members of different committees, but Dalwai says that they have been kept out of the key committees.

The election for 288-member Maharashtra assembly is due in October this year.