‘Representation has hit all-time low’: Karnataka Muslim body demands 1 Rajya Sabha seat in state

The body estimated that the Congress could comfortably win three Rajya Sabha seats out of the four seats up for election on June 18. The statement noted that overall Muslim representation across the board remained very low compared to the population, in contrast with the support given to the Government in 2023.

As previously reported by The Indian Express, the Federation’s report had stated that, “underrepresentation becomes even more significant given the already reduced Muslim representation in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, where ticket allocation has remained disproportionately low despite the community’s electoral contribution.”

It had also flagged disproportionately low Muslim representation at the MLC level.

These demands come amid the potential dissatisfaction amongst a section of Karnataka’s Muslim electorate.

This was seen in a rebellion among some Muslim Congress leaders, culminating in the suspension of MLC Abdul Jabbar and the removal of MLC Naseer Ahmed from the post of the chief minister’s political secretary, which also stripped him of Cabinet rank.

While the Congress still managed to eke out a victory in the bypoll for Davanagere South, where Muslims constitute a third of the electorate, the apparent dissatisfaction with the ruling party’s decision not to field a candidate from the community had slashed the margin of victory from 27,900 to 5,700.