Davangere, April 16 (NationPress) The Davangere Assembly seat in Karnataka became available due to the passing of prominent Congress figure, Shamanur Shivashankarappa. In the wake of this, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Karnataka leaders urged the Congress to nominate a candidate from the Muslim community for the upcoming by-election. Nevertheless, the party opted to put forward Shamanur Shivashankarappa's grandson as their representative, a choice that sparked considerable discontent among affiliated Muslim leaders.

The leaders accused the Congress of once again sidelining the Muslim community in its candidate selection, deeming it a political misstep with potential ramifications extending beyond Karnataka.

They cautioned that such actions could negatively affect the party's reputation in other states.

Mufti Iftikhar Ahmed Qasmi, President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Karnataka, noted that this issue had been brought to the Congress leadership's attention as early as 2023.

He added that the party's rationale for not assigning tickets to Muslim candidates previously was unconvincing.

Quoting historical instances, Qasmi mentioned that following a leader's death in Bagalkot, the ticket was awarded to his son, paralleling the recent decision in Davangere to nominate the late Shivashankarappa's grandson.

He pointed out that Shivashankarappa's son is already serving as an MLA and Minister, emphasizing that repeated family-oriented selections diminish opportunities for other communities.

Qasmi stated that they had urged the party leadership to consider a candidate from the minority community instead of a family member this time.

However, he expressed frustration that their request was dismissed.

Additionally, he claimed that recent organizational changes, which included the ousting of Congress MLCs Abdul Jabbar and Naseer Ahmad, indicated internal pressure within the party.

At the same time, Qasmi refuted claims that Muslim leaders had threatened Congress leadership, clarifying that their messages were intended to express concerns rather than issue ultimatums.

He stated that the goal was to highlight what they perceive as systematic neglect and expressed openness to remedial actions from the Congress leadership.

Meanwhile, Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Nadvi, President of the Welfare of Humanity Foundation, also criticized the dismissal of Karnataka Chief Minister's advisor Abdul Jabbar and Jabbar Ahmed from the party's core membership.

Nadvi remarked that actions should have been taken only after the election results were announced, and after issuing notifications, allowing the leaders a chance to respond.

He added that taking action before the electoral process concluded was inappropriate.

Moreover, he mentioned that they had communicated with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior leader Randeep Surjewala, requesting that a Muslim candidate be considered for Davangere.

Nadvi claimed Surjewala assured them of consideration, but that assurance was not acted upon.

Syed Asim Abdullah, Coordinator of Welfare Schools, remarked that the 2023 Assembly elections had set a precedent and advised Congress leadership to rethink its strategy.

He warned that ongoing neglect of their demands could result in political repercussions in the future.