Sonia asks Muslim leaders to ensure secular votes do not split

A delegation of Muslim leaders led by Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari met Congress President Sonia Gandhi here during which she asked them to ensure that secular votes did not split in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The meeting, which took place at Gandhi's 10 Janpath residence yesterday, lasted for 45 minutes, during which Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari apprised her of various issues pertaining to the community.
Sources close to Bukhari said a decision to support Congress has been finalised and an official announcement is likely to come on Friday.
"During the meeting, issues like innocent Muslim youths being arrested in terror cases, reservation in education, communal riots and security, implementation of Sachar Committee and Ranganath Misra Commission recommendations and anti-communal violence bill were discussed," Jama Masjid spokesperson Rahat Mehmood Chaudhary said.

Gandhi told the six-member delegation that the party wanted to do a lot of things for the minorities but could not. Some central schemes could not be implemented in some states because there were governments of opposition parties there.
"The most important thing she said was that in the current political scenario in the country, secular votes should not split in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and they should come together to vote against communal forces," he said.
A day before the meeting, Congress leader Rajiv Shukla had met Bukhari and invited the Muslim leaders to meet the Congress President.

An endorsement from Bukhari can be a major boost for Congress which faces a stiff opposition in the Narendra Modi-led BJP campaign in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, especially in Uttar Pradesh where a number of seats have sizeable Muslim population.