Maratha Muslim Sangh sure of minority backing for Uddhav Thackeray faction

Mumbai: Having boosted the Shiv Sena (UBT) tally in several seats in the Lok Sabha elections, the Muslim community is looking at the Uddhav Thackeray-led party as an option in the upcoming assembly and civic elections as well, say community leaders.
Muslims began tilting towards Sena after the three parties (Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP) formed an alliance (MVA) following the results of the 2019 assembly elections. Uddhav Thackeray had broken away from the BJP and recast his version of Hindutva in a non-provocative mould. The community’s support to the “saffron” party solidified in the Lok Sabha elections when it overwhelmingly transferred votes to all MVA candidates.
“Now there is no hesitation among Muslims to support the Shiv Sena which is led by Uddhavji. I have seen people openly saying they voted for the mashaal (burning torch), our party symbol. In the coming elections of assembly and civic bodies, the community will only increase its affinity with the party,” said Sajid K Supariwala, a Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary. He added that soon enrolment of more Muslims as party members and office bearers will begin.
The Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh, an umbrella body of Maharashtrian Muslims, actively participated in campaigns for Sena UBT candidates. “UBT Sena is now a good option for the Muslims in the state. Just as Muslims have Akhilesh Yadav’s SP in Uttar Pradesh, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s RJD in Bihar and Mamta Banerjee’s TMC in West Bengal, they have a choice in Sena UBT in Maharashtra,” said the Sangh’s president F M Thakur.
Thakur had met Thackeray ahead of Lok Sabha polls and campaigned extensively in the Konkan region for his candidates. Sena UBT candidate Arvind Sawant was among those whose tally was substantially boosted by votes from minority pockets in Mumbai South constituency.
Sena UBT's Sanjay Dina Patil and Anil Desai who won from Mumbai North East and Mumbai South Central similarly benefited. In a pre-poll meeting held for Sawant's campaign, senior Urdu journalist Sarfraz Arzoo had said: “Once Shiv Sena was deemed anti-Muslim, but now the situation is the party may consider giving tickets to some Muslims in assembly and BMC elections.” At another meeting for Sawant held by Yusuf Abrahani, the president of Islam Gymkhana, said earlier Muslims would not approach Sawant for their work as they voted Congress, but now they would seek his help since they have voted for him.
It would be interesting to see how this support pans out in the event of Congress vs Sena UBT contests in some assembly segments in the forthcoming polls.