BJP Leader Haji Arafat Shaikh Set To Leave Party: Considering Either Congress Or Shiv Sena; Know Why

Haji Arafat Shaikh, a prominent leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former president of the State Minority Commission, is reportedly preparing to leave the party due to disagreements regarding its stance on Muslim issues. This information was revealed by the Hindustan Times.

Although Shaikh does not plan to contest in the upcoming assembly elections, he is likely to join either the Congress party or the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

Recently, Shaikh publicly opposed his party colleague, Nitesh Rane, after Rane made controversial remarks about Muslims, including threats to invade mosques and attack the community. In a video shared on social media, Shaikh challenged Rane to follow through on his threats, highlighting his discontent with the party's treatment of Muslims. Insiders within the BJP believe that Shaikh's actions suggest he is preparing to leave the party, as he joined the BJP in 2018 and took on the role of chairman of the Minority Commission.

A party worker close to Shaikh expressed that he is disturbed by the continuous attacks on Muslims from party members. Besides Rane's comments, Shaikh has been troubled by statements from Kirit Somaiya regarding 'love, land, and vote jihad', as well as Mohit Kambhoj's recent announcement to exclude Muslim youth from participating in Navratri dandiya events. These remarks have led to significant backlash from the Muslim community, and Shaikh is expected to address these issues publicly in the coming days.

Shaikh was introduced to the BJP by Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar. Although Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shelar are making efforts to persuade him to remain in the party, a BJP leader has indicated that Shaikh is resolute in his decision to leave.

In addition to his political roles, Shaikh leads the Maharashtra State Muslim Khatik Samaj Seva Santha and is involved in efforts to construct a mosque in Ayodhya. Despite multiple attempts by the Hindustan Times to contact him for comments, he has not responded to calls or text messages.

State BJP deputy president Madhav Bhandari remarked, "Arafat is on the verge of quitting for his ambitions and aspirations. He is known for changing parties, and this time he is conveniently using the anti-Muslim remarks made by our leaders as an excuse. These situations often arise during election periods."