Sonia Gandhi's master stroke: Syed Ahmed Bukhari pledges support for Congress, TMC

New Delhi: Syed Ahmed Bukhari, Shahi Imam, Jama Masjid has declared his open support to Congress in the centre and Trinamool Congress along with RJD in West Bengal and Bihar. He talked about several political parties and accused the ruling party of Uttar Pradesh of betraying Muslims during the riots that rocked Muzaffarnagar last year. He denied any possibility of coalition with two major parties in UP, which are SP and BSP. He asserted the fact that WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared she is not going to support NDA in any circumstances due to which he has appealed Muslims in the state to opt for her. Announcing his support to Congress Bukhari said that he expects the party to fulfil their expectations. He added the Muslims “have grievances with Congress but it doesn't mean they’ll hand over country to those who want to divide it.” He also backed the ally of Congress RJD. After appealing the Muslim voters to go for these three parties, he clarified that it is an opinion and advice for the people and it is not at all a fatwa. Bukhari held the SP government responsible for the Muzaffarnagar riots and said the situation wouldn’t have gone worse, if the government had acted with responsibility. “SC had said that if the administration was responsible the situation wouldn't have worsened,” he listed. Even though Ahmed Bukhari has pledged his support, the Muslims seem to be divided on the issue. President of the All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, Dr Zafar-ul-Islam Khan, denied to comment over the matter when contacted by the Dainik Bhaskar team. Naved Hamid, the member of NIC, said that each and every individual has got constitutional right to express his support to anyone and making an appeal to the masses holds no harm. He, however, didn’t declare his support to any political party yet. The general secretary of Jamat-Islami, Nusrat Ali, also restrained from announcing the support and in a repeated scenario added that any individual can support any party. Congress President Sonia Gandhi used her ace card in an attempt to make final efforts to save one the Congress’ vote bank. Now the time will tell whether the ace card lived up to the expectation of Sonia or not. The impact of Bukhari’s declaration will be revealed later after the Lok Sabha elections. The younger brother of Bukhari, Syed Yahya Bukhari, the president of the Jama Masjid United Forum criticized Sonia Gandhi and said that the Congress had only betrayed Muslims.