Zafar Agha from Syed Shahabuddin,

I have a feeling that when you write about Muslim politics you do not take into account the basic fact that while the Muslim voters may be the deciding factor in some constituencies where they constitute 30 % plus of the electorate, they do not play any role in the formation of governments in the states or in the Centre. Even at the constituency level in order to be decisive they have first to be united. And they are divided not only internally but among the various secular parties. Each party wishes to secure some seats with Muslim help. Muslim electorate is divided among various parties in small numbers but the voters are loyal to the party to which they belong. That is why, invariably, even secular government in various Muslim concentration states have inadequate representation of Muslims both in terms of numbers or in terms of ability to represent Muslim interests. That they maintain silence is understandable as even as mistakes of the government or as members of the legislatures they are not prepared to risk losing the party tickets.
            If there was one secular party in the country or if all secular parties were united and the Muslim community rose above its internal cleavages, surely your proposition would be realizable under the present electoral system.
To advise the Muslim voters to vote for one particular secular party on the assumption that it may form the government at the centre is not tenable because no secular party can win all the seats it contests nor form government on its own unless it has a majority. Your advice therefore, in the final analysis disenfranchise a vast majority of the Muslim voters, while it may help the Congress and its alliances.
            What is needed is to recognize that the first-past-the pole electoral system always acts against the interest of the minorities. Only a basic change of the electoral system such as introduction of proportional representation can give minorities their due weight but no one raises this question, whatever the reason. In the existing circumstances, therefore, the Muslims should not be flattered by exaggerating their role. The Muslim electorate can and should play its role at the constituency level, vote against the party which is hostile and for a secular party which has a relatively friendly record, provided that party supports the basic demands of the Muslim community and at the some time fields Muslim candidates in Muslim concentration constituency in proportion to their population in the state or the nation.
Kindly give me a ring for any clarification. Or we can meet, whenever and wherever eventually conversant.