Maulana Ajmal’s Defeat: A Lesson for Muslim-Based Parties

New Delhi: Maulana Badruddin Ajmal Qasmi, president of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and a billionaire perfume baron, faced a crushing defeat against Congress candidate Rakibul Hussain in the Dhubri parliamentary constituency. Ajmal, who had held the seat since 2005, lost by an astounding one million votes, marking one of the most significant electoral setbacks in modern Indian history.

Rakibul Hussain received 1,471,885 votes, while Ajmal garnered only 459,409 votes, resulting in a margin of over one million votes. This defeat indicates a significant loss of trust among voters for Ajmal. The margin of 1,012,476 votes was the highest winning margin in the country. Ajmal, a prominent figure in Assam’s politics and a three-term member of parliament, faced a decisive and unexpected backlash from the electorate.

The AIUDF contested three of Assam’s fourteen parliamentary seats but failed to win any. The seats included Dhubri in the west, Karimganj in the south, and Nagaon in central Assam, all areas with a substantial Muslim electorate.

Several factors contributed to Ajmal’s extraordinary loss. He was perceived as having a covert alliance with BJP Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and was seen as having a soft corner for the ruling BJP to protect his commercial interests. The Congress did not allow his party to join the INDIA alliance, branding his group as the BJP’s B team. Propaganda from within his party further undermined his political standing.

During his three consecutive terms in parliament, Ajmal rarely addressed issues and concerns of his constituency. He was notably absent when the controversial triple talaq bill was passed by the Modi government.

Since taking office, the BJP government in Assam has persecuted the Muslim community under various pretexts. Measures included disbanding the State Madrasa Board, repealing the Qazi Marriage Act, and forcibly uprooting more than a dozen Muslim-majority communities on river islands. Ajmal and his AIUDF, which rely on Muslim support, failed to strongly resist these repressive actions.