Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Maharashtra Congress leader writes to Kharge over 'no Muslim candidate in MVA', quits as star campaigner

Maha Vikas Aghadi) has not nominated a single Muslim candidate in Maharashtra. I am upset with the party's unfair decision, Khan wrote in his letter

Mumbai: In what has caused concern for Congress in Maharashtra, senior leader and former minister Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan has shot off a letter to party president Mallikarjun Kharge for the Congress and the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi not nominating any Muslim to contest the Lok Sabha polls in the state and decided to stay away from the campaign.

A veteran leader, Khan is working president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).

"I would like to thank you for enlisting my name in list of star campaigners for the fourth phase of general elections of Loksabha Maharashtra," Khan said in a letter to the AICC president.

He said that he would not be campaigning for party candidates in Maharashtra for the third, fourth and fifth phase.

Khan has cited multiple reasons for his decision.

Khan's letter that he sent to Congress chief Kharge. 

"From total 48 Loksabha seats in Maharashtra MVA has not nominated a single Muslim candidate in Maharashtra. Many Muslim organisations, leaders and also party workers from all over Maharashtra was expecting congress to atleast nominate one candidate but unfortunately congress has also not nominated single Muslim candidate," Khan said, adding: "Now they are asking “Congress ko Muslim vote chahiye candidate kyun nahi “.

"Before this whenever party had given me election responsibility of states like Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal, Maharashtra and other states. I have executed it gracefully with my full efforts in favour of party," he said.

"I will not be able to face and I have no answers to Muslims and other muslim organisations in Maharashtra who always raise such issues," he said.

"Therefore, I have decided not to campaign for the party during Loksabha elections 2024. And also resign from the campaign committee of Maharashtra Lok Sabha election 2024," he added.