Huge setback to Maharashtra Congress after leader Arif Khan Quits Party | Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Hello and welcome again. You’re watching the Morning News show on CNN News 18. I’m Sakshi Singh Latoria, here to walk you through all the top headlines from nation and across the globe over the next 30 minutes. At the top of this segment, we have got some breaking news now coming in from the state of Maharashtra. Its a big set back for the Congress. In the state of Maharashtra. We are learning that Maharashtras Congress leader Mohammad Arif Khan has quit as * campaigner of the party in the state. He is allegedly upset over no Muslim candidate from Mahavika Saghari. Congress leader Mohammad Alif Nasim Khan has said and I’m going to quote him here that in Maharashtra there is a lot of anger in people and organizations of minority communities because there is not a single candidate from minority community. From Mahavika Saghari Maharashtra Mein Samaj Ke Sabi Sangatan Samaji Logome Lok Sabhaj Seat me Samaji Roche or maybe Narazu Kyuki. Congress party Ki bahat purani vichar dhara hai Ki sabi samajor sabi logo ko saath melekar chalne Ki sabi ko partidit Dene Ki Chai samajo obc ho Maharashtra Maratha samajo SCOSTO sabi samajko pardit deniki. We are CNN news eighteens Vinaya Deshpande joining us on the phone line Vinaya very good morning to good morning to you. We are learning that a letter has been written by him to Mallika Arjun Kargi as well, where he has written. Why he exactly is he upset and why exactly is he quitting from the party as the star campaigner? Could you walk us through that first? Well, absolutely. Sakshi, very good morning. Yes. Who’s Arif Nasim Khan? Arif Nasim Khan is the working president of the Maharashtra Congress. He’s also former cabinet minister. He’s somebody who was preparing a lot in order to field himself. We’ve seen for the last few days, despite being the Star Pracharak and despite holding Sabhas and Vidal for the Congress and the MBA, he had also been continuously building his campaign from Sandavli from other areas of Mumbai North Central where he was expecting a ticket from the party. Now remember the party in order to placate Varsha Gayak Ward who was expecting a seat from Mumbai South Central and the Congress had to forgo that seat for the Shiv Sena Uttav Thakre faction. She was placated by the Congress after her name was announced as the Congress candidate from Mumbai North Central. Now at such a juncture where you know, RF Naseem Khan himself was vying to become the Congress candidate from there, that is an added hold that he has that though he had been working hard in order to build that constituency and the Congress did not really have any any candidate from there. So Priya Dutt had already refused to fight from that seat. There was consistent effort in order to try and search for a name by the Congress which was allocated to seats the MBA. So now RF Muslim Khan says that this is unfortunate that you know not a single Muslim candidate has been given by the MBA despite efforts and now we have seen that Samajwadi Party has also joined the rank where Abu Azmi who has been whose name has been under speculation for the last few days in Maharashtra politics on whether his party will end up now supporting the BJP or the NDA or not. Amid those speculations where he had declined, he has also now tweeted saying that Samajwadi Party has also sought one seat from the MBA during seats setting as its unfortunate that Muslims are not being accommodated by the MBA as well. So you know, clear cut anger there from within the Congress ranks, from the allies as well from Maharashtra saying that despite its rhetoric for the minorities, not a single Muslim candidate has been given by the NBA in Maharashtra. Back to exactly Vinay and quite ironic that Congress in their manifesto have highlighted special push for the minorities. At the same time they have been attacking BJP over sidelining the minorities and especially the Muslims at that point of time. Now they they have given absolutely no seat to the Muslim in the state of Maharashtra. What exactly does that speak about their manifesto and their situation in the state of Maharashtra? Alright, Vinaya, I’ll request you to please stay with us. We have Majid Memon joining us on the broadcast. Sir, the star campaigner from Congress has quit the party. He has said that because there is absolutely no representation of the community in the state, I would like to resign. I would like to quit from this particular position. What would be your response to it? Well, these are personal observations by some displeased Congress leaders and Samajwadi Party Abu Ashima Azim. But I think there is some element of truth in what they say, that there is a substantial Muslim population in Maharashtra. Not to talk of the whole country, but at least we are when we talk about Maharashtra out of 48 seats, Congress which always keeps on talking about minorities and Congress is even accused of appeasement. How is it that they have not considered one single Muslim representation from any of the 48 constituencies? Is a matter certainly extremely serious? I think if BJP is not is completely sideline sidelining Muslim population, then what is the difference between BJP and Congress if Congress also does not care to even put one candidate and get one MP from Maharashtra to represent Muslim community. The the grievances you see shown by Naseem or somebody else, you know certainly is quite weighty. It is quite relevant and quite reasonable.