India’s state polls expose BJP’s anti-Muslim stance yet again
Saffron party fields no Muslim candidate in four states and one Union Territory
New Delhi: A total of 104 Muslim legislators were elected in India’s 2026 state assembly elections, yet not a single one belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), once again exposing the saffron party’s persistent exclusion of Muslims from effective political representation.
According to Kashmir Media Service, assembly elections were held in the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, as well as in the Union Territory of Puducherry. Of the 723 Muslim candidates who contested, only 104 emerged victorious, accounting for just 14.3 percent of the total.
In Assam, where Muslims constitute a significant portion of the population, 22 Muslim legislators were elected, 19 of whom belong to the Congress party. West Bengal saw 40 Muslim candidates win assembly seats, the majority representing the Trinamool Congress. In Kerala, 35 Muslim candidates were elected, including 30 from the United Democratic Front (UDF) and 5 from the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Tamil Nadu elected 7 Muslim legislators affiliated with parties such as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and Congress. Meanwhile, no Muslim legislator was elected in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Significantly, the BJP did not field a single Muslim candidate in any of these elections. Although the party secured power in Assam and West Bengal, all of its elected representatives belong to non-Muslim communities, underscoring its continued refusal to include Muslims in mainstream political representation.
The election figures highlight the stark disparity in Muslim political representation in India. Despite substantial Muslim populations in states like Assam and West Bengal, their representation in legislative bodies remains disproportionately low.
Political representation is a fundamental pillar of democracy, and the steady marginalization of Muslims in India’s electoral landscape exposes the deep contradictions in the world’s so-called largest democracy.
The BJP’s refusal to ensure inclusive political participation for Muslims has once again laid bare its anti-Muslim agenda, reinforcing concerns over the systematic political exclusion of one of India’s largest minority communities.
