Ahead of the Delhi assembly elections, the Congress party has decided to go with its tried and tested Muslim appeasement strategy as Congress prince Rahul Gandhi is set to launch its election campaign from a Muslim-dominated Seelampur. While Seelampur was once a Congress bastion, the Aam Aadmi Party has over the years managed to make the constituency its turf by winning the last two assembly elections from this seat.
जय बापू, जय भीम, जय संविधान!
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Congress has named its upcoming rally in Seelampur as “Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan” rally hinting at its attempt to woo not only its Muslim votebank but to also lure Dalit voters to its fold by positioning the party as a defender of the constitution and social justice. With this, the party seems to give a message to not only Seelampur but also the neighbouring constituencies like Gokulpuri, Seemapuri, Timarpur, and Burari with significant Dalit voter presence.
It must be noted that 55-60% voter base in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur constituency is Muslim and thus Congress would want to regain the lost ground, especially after Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed, a once Congress leader switched allegiance to the Aam Aadmi Party. Ahmed’s son Jubair Ahmed is contesting the election under AAP’s ticket while AAP MLA Abdul Rehman has joined Congress after being denied a ticket by AAP.
By picking a Muslim-dominated Seelampur constituency to launch its electoral campaign, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi apparently wants to pander to the Muslim votebank which has gradually drifted towards the other anti-BJP alternative—AAP by catering to the “minority khatre mein hai” narrative and positioning itself as the protector of the community.
Alongside the Muslim voters, the Congress party also aims to win back Dalit voters taking mileage from the recent controversy over Dr Ambedkar regarding Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments wherein he said that taking Ambedkar’s name has become a “fashion”. Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders are often seen flashing a pocket-size copy of the constitution and continuously attacking the BJP in the name of attack on the constitution, democracy and whatnot.
Seelampur’s strategic location also makes it of immense political importance since it bridges the gap between Northeast Delhi, East Delhi, and Chandni Chowk. If the Congress party’s traditional “Bheem-Meem” strategy plays out well, they may give tough competition to the other Muslim appeasing opponents Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP.
It is widely known that the Muslim community and Dalits are capable of consolidating their votes and playing a decisive role in the elections. Since this vote bank comprises nearly 30% of Delhi’s population, the Congress party intends to harness the demographic leverage.
Another interesting factor about Seelampur is that it is a communally charged constituency, not to forget several anti-CAA protests were held here in 2020. Congress party’s decision to field former AAP MLA Abdul Rehman from Seelampur itself indicates its desperation to rally support from the Muslim community. Not to forget Abdul Rehman was named in the FIR by Delhi Police for ‘provoking the crowd’ to join the anti-CAA protests. Rehman was accused of leading a mob on December 17, 2019, which eventually led to violence and arson.
In the run-up to the Delhi Assembly polls, Muslim-dominated areas of Seelampur had seen unprecedented violence led by Muslim mobs to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act. On the eve of the Delhi assembly elections 2020, the mosques in the riot-hit Seelampur and Okhla had urged Muslims to vote in large numbers. These were the very areas where Muslim mobs had gone on a rampage and caused riots as a result of their opposition to the CAA. Alongside, Abdul Rehman who is now contesting on the Seelampur seat on a Congress ticket, the former five-time Congress MLA Mateen Ahmed, who has now joined AAP was also named in the FIR.
Whether Congress’s endeavour to woo the Muslim vote bank pays off or not will only be known after the election results, however, the party giving ticket to a person accused of leading a mob that unleashed violence during anti-CAA protests in 2020 and then picking a Muslim-dominated Seelampur to open election campaign, Congress party is demonstrating that it will go any length to appease Muslim voters.