PUNE, 30 May 2007 – The Indian Muslim Congress Party (IMCP), a newly floated party by local Muslim clerics and community leaders in Malegaon in Nashik district, caused a major jolt to the established political party after it emerged as the single largest party in the elections to the Malegaon Municipal Corporation (MMC). This is an experiment considered as one of the first of its kind in Maharashtra state wherein local Muslim religious leaders have come close to power in an elected civic body.
Malegaon, situated at a distance of 110 kilometers from Nashik, compromises around 80 percent of Muslims in the area. In the results announced on Monday evening, the IMCP emerged as the single largest party in the 72 member House by bagging 27 seats, jolting the Congress which got 15 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) 12 seats. The Shiv Sena managed to get 7, the Independents 6, the Nationalists Congress Party (NCP) and Raj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) 2 each and the Samajwadi Party (SP) could get only 1 seat. The IMCP also managed to secure the support of two Independent candidates, one of whom was supported by it.
The founder of the IMCP, Mufti Muhammed Ismail, a local cleric, commenting on the victory of his party said that his party had fought the elections with development as their main agenda. Though the IMCP is eight seats short of the halfway mark, there are indications that a coalition with independent and smaller parties may be formed.
Mufti Ismail is better known in the textile town for helping the police and civic administration in maintaining peace and communal harmony during the serial bomb blasts in Malegaon in September 2006. The IMCP had put up 52 candidates and supported two Hindu candidates in Hindu dominated areas of which only one won.
A newly elected councilor and businessman, Salim Ghazani, said that his party fought on the issue of development and communal harmony. Civic problems affect all regardless of caste and religion. And once the IMCP retains power, it will develop the township on grounds of Nashik, Ghazani added.
The Malegaon elections were being monitored closely on all quarters, especially given the background of triple blasts that rocked the town last year.
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has bagged the most seats in the municipal polls held in another Muslim dominated town of Bhiwandi in Thane district, results of which were announced on Monday evening. The SP which had contested a total of 84 seats has won 17 seats, while the Congress bagged 14 seats.
No party has won the required absolute majority of 43 seats to rule the Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation (BMC). The Shiv Sena has also won 14 seats and the Republican Party of India (RPI) has won one seat. Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi (BVA) has won nine seats, and the BJP has won four seats. Independents have bagged 21 seats in the election.
