Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan resigned from the state party campaign committee Friday, flagging his concern about the party not fielding a single candidate from the Muslim community in the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
“It was decided two months ago that I will be given the party candidature. It had enthused the minority community in Mumbai. However, the party has announced a different name from this seat (Mumbai North Central), which has created unrest within the minority community,” read the resignation letter by Khan.
“I have no answer when people ask me why the Congress has not fielded a Muslim candidate. I also find it worth asking why a party whose foundation is based on the principles of social equality should not give a ticket to a Muslim candidate,” Khan who had been a minister in the Congress-NCP governments in the state and handled various portfolios, said at a press conference on Saturday.
The Muslim community accounts for 25% population of the Mumbai city and 19% of its suburbs.
Arif Naseem Khan was a contender for a ticket from the Mumbai North Central seat, which the Congress allotted to Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad.
Currently, Khan is one of the four working presidents of the state Congress unit.
