Political parties eyeing minority community votes in Bengal

Political parties like Trinamool Congress, Congress and the Left are eyeing a greater share of around 27% Muslim votes in West Bengal after Narendra Modi's ascendance in national politics.

The Muslim votes would be aligned against Modi and the Trinamool Congress and other anti-BJP parties would try to make capital of it, political analysts said.

Trinamool Congress feels that in Bengal it is in the best position to counter BJP.

"From Bengal, apart from Trinamool Congress who is there to counter BJP, nationally? The Congress has turned into a sign board here. The Left has done nothing for the Muslims. So the entire vote will come to us," Trinamool Congress leader Sultan Ahmed claimed.

Congress leader Abdul Mannan told PTI, "The anti-Modi votes will come to the Congress as it is only our party which can stop Modi."

Political analyst Udayan Bandopadhya feels, "The biggest gainer may be both the Congress and the Trinamool Congress in Bengal. The Congress and the TMC will stand to gain in north and south Bengal respectively."

The CPI(M), on the other hand, feels that Muslims, who had deserted the Left, would come back to the party's fold in this election.

"Yes it is true that Muslims had deserted us. But in this election a section will be back as they are disappointed with TMC regime," CPI(M) leader Moinul Hasan said.

The Muslim community in the state, which plays a key role in the outcome of over 20 Lok Sabha seats out of 42, is courted aggressively by all frontline political parties.