Lok Sabha Elections 2014! Maulana Qasmi Vs Dr. Jawaid, tough time for Congress in Kishanganj

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When the Congress is basking for its survival in the 2014, the party is going to witness a tough time in Kishanganj district of Bihar.Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi, the seating Member of Parliament (MP) from Kishanganj and Dr. Jawaid, the seating Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Kishanganj are locking horns for getting the Congress party’s ticket for 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Maulana Vs Jawaid

The recent Assembly polls results in four states namely Delhi (NCT), Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh has literally pushed India’s biggest political party Congress on backfoot. While the largest opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on the Cloud9 with its unprecedented triumph in four states, the Congress party’s poster boy Rahul Gandhi and its President Sonia Gandhi had said that the party would make a comeback in 2014 with through introspections of their wrong moves. The results have also made an impact in the state of Bihar, where the regional parties such as Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are trying their best to woe the voters. The political equation in Bihar became more interesting a couple of days back as the Supreme Court had granted bail to RJP supermo Lalu Prasad Yadav.

When the Congress is basking for its survival in the 2014, the party is going to witness a tough time in Kishanganj district of Bihar. Situated in north-eastern part of Bihar, Kishanganj had saved Congress from humiliation in both Loksabha (2009) and Assembly (2010) polls, and the party has one (1) out of two (2) MPs and 2 (two) out of 4 (four) MLAs from this district. However, the differences among the elected representatives of the party have been reported since long time and it has become more public now. Now, Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi, the seating Member of Parliament (MP) from Kishanganj and Dr. Jawaid, the seating Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Kishanganj are locking horns for getting the Congress party’s ticket for 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

In fact, the supporters have started campaigning for their favorite leaders namely Dr. Jawaid and Maulana Qasmi on their own ways. You can see the verbal spat between supporters of Kishanganj MP and MLA on Facebook and the reports published in local newspapers. They are trying their best to convince the masses to support their leader with valid points and work done for the voters at the ground level. Although the fight between two leaders for getting Congress ticket in 2014 is not widely open and yet to reach the nook and corner of the district, but it is going to damage the party at great extent. Both the leaders have their own followers (supporters) and vote-banks, and the current spat can be a big blow for the fortune of Congress party in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

I am not sure whether the Central high-command of Congress is aware about the fight between Dr. Jawaid and Maualan Qasmi for 2014 Lok Sabha ticket or not. However, both the leaders of Congress have their own strong logic for getting the ticket and their supporters don’t shy off from saying that why their leader deserves the representation of Kishanganj. As an independent observer, I find that there is substantial base on the claims of both Maulana Qasmi and Dr. Jawaid that I have listed below:

Strong points of Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi (Seating MP of Kishanganj)

• He is seating MP of Kishanganj and deserves the ticket in next election as well. 
• As per tradition of Indian Politics especially Congress the seating MP is not denied ticket.
• Party will not take the risk with the replacement of winning candidate. 
• Since he is seating MP, people in all around the district are well aware about him.
• In 2009, he got ticket for Lok Sabha in last minute and emerged out as winner. The party would remember his success it for sure.

Weak points of Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi (Seating MP of Kishanganj)

• His contribution as a Congress leader to strengthen the party in the district is not much
• Aging is one of the factor, since all political parties are looking for young bloods 
• His popularity is diminishing day-by-day, people have started speaking against him due to his lackluster approach in many issues especially education and development issues.
• Anti-incumbency against Congress, as the district didn’t witnessed major development in last 5 years.

Strong points of Dr. Jawaid (Seating MLA of Kishanganj)

• His father Late Mohd Hussain’s Azad long association with Congress party. The party gives due weightage to family connections, so Dr. Jawaid has upper hand. 
• Dr. Jawaid had almost got ticket in 2009 to fight the elections. His ticket was cancelled in the last minute. Party may remember the 2009 circumstances and give preference to Dr Jawaid for making an exception
• Dr. Jawaid is a youth leader and sharing good rapport with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Since in recent elections the youth candidates have won more seats, the party can consider Dr. Jawaid as the candidate for 2014 elections.

Weak points of Dr. Jawaid (Seating MLA of Kishanganj)

• His reach to far-away areas of the district is not-satifsfactory, since he is more concentrated to Kishanganj and Thakurganj.
• People of Kishanganj and Thakurganj have mixed responses (feedback) for Dr. Jawaid as an MLA. So, whether he will be able to beat the threshold and get the party ticket is a big question in itself.
• Anti-incumbency against Congress, as the district headquarter of Kishanganj didn’t witnessed major development in last 5 years.