Muslim body pins hope on Mayawati

Lucknow, May 16 (UNI) A Muslim political front today expressed hope that the newly-elected Mayawati-led government in Uttar Pradesh would take measures for the community's development.

Greeting Ms Mayawati on taking over as Chief Minister for the fourth time, the PDF, formerly Muslim Forum, said her regime would certainly not overlook Muslim interests and other vital issues.

Addressing a news conference, PDF working president Salahuddin Khan noted the ''so-called pro-Muslim'' regime of Mulayam Singh Yadav had overlooked the community interests, despite making several promises.

''In her earlier terms, Ms Mayawati was leading coalitions. This time, she has assumed office with a majority on her own and we are confident, that better days are ahead for Muslims in the state,'' he said.

Mr Khan also congratulated the Election Commission for conducting free and fair poll in UP.

He maintained that in the recently concluded pollS, the community had primarily voted to defeat BJP.

''Muslims voted for BSP or SP in assembly constituencies, where either of them was in a better position to vanquish the communal and fascist forces.'' He observed that the community had now taken to tactical voting to keep communal forces at bay.

''The Muslim vote no longer belongs to any particular party and goes to an outfit, which is in a better position to serve the community,'' Maulana Mohd Ahmad, UP president of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Forum constituent -- said.

Meanwhile, the Forum also reiterated its long-pending demand of 8.44 per cent reservation for backward Muslims in the ambit of 27 per cent overall OBC reservation.

''We hope that the Mayawati government will move positively in this regard,'' he said.

UNI