No Muslim candidate is part of Bihar’s recently elected coalition government in the state. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which won the Assembly polls, does not have a single MLA from the minority community.
The NDA has four parties including, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular and the Vikassheel Insan Party. Out of these four parties, the JDU fielded 11 Muslim candidates in the election. However, none of them won a seat. Since the alliance has no Muslim MLA, Bihar’s cabinet will also not have any elected Muslim minister.
Currently in Bihar, the RJD has 8 Muslim MLAs, the Congress 4, the Hyderabad-based AIMIM (All India Majilis-Ittehadul Muslimeen) has 5, the left parties have 1 and the BSP has one. Analysts from the state have said that minorities essentially rejected Muslim candidates of the JD (U) as they realized that both Nitish’s party and BJP are on the same page.
Irrespective of the ruling party in Bihar, Muslims held many important ministries and posts in the state government since 1952. In the past, they have presided over both the legislative assembly and legislative council.
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Rushda Fathima Khan is the Staff Reporter for The Cognate.
