Minority candidates constitute just 10 percent of the total candidates in fray in the Maharashtra Assembly elections with 420 of the 4,136 contenders listed as minorities, an analysis of election department data has shown.
According to the constituency-wise analysis by Times Of India, 157 of the 288 Assembly constituencies in the state do not have a single Muslim candidate, 50 have one in fray, 23 seats have three while there are 5 seats where seven Muslim contenders have filed their nominations.
Of the 420 Muslim candidates in fray in Maharashtra, 218 are Independents, Congress has fielded 9 while the BJP has fielded no Muslim candidates.
BJP's Mahayuti partner Ajit Pawar of the NCP has fielded 5 Muslim candidates while Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM has given tickets to 16 Muslim candidates, the maximum among major parties. As many as 150 Muslims in fray have been fielded by smaller parties.
In terms of constituencies, Aurangabad East has the highest concentration of Muslims in fray -- 17 of the 29 candidates are from the minority community. The 17 Muslim candidates include three women.
The analysis further shows that a majority of the Muslim candidates are restricted to minority pockets in the state. Aurangabad Central has 8 Muslim candidates, Bhiwandi West has 11, Malegaon Central has 12, Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar has 13 while Aurangabad East has 17 contenders from the minority community.
Overall, the representation of Muslim women remains sparse in the Maharashtra elections with barely 22 candidates, comprising around 0.5 percent in fray.
As per the TOI analysis, of the 288 seats, 270 constituencies do not have a single Muslim woman in fray.
Maharashtra goes to polls in a single phase on November 20 while the results will be declared on November 23. The term of the current Assembly concludes on November 26.
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