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Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Nuh, October 18
With the Ahmeds and Hussains clashing for the seventh time, Nuh is witnessing a tough contest between third generation politicians of the two dynasties — BJP’s Zakir Hussain and Congress’ Aftab Ahmed.
Zakir Hussain is a three-time MLA. He once contested as an Independent and then fought from the Congress from the Taoru seat while in 2014, he shifted to Nuh on the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) ticket. Aftab Ahmed won once in 2009 on a Congress ticket from Nuh and later became the Transport Minister.
But Muslims, who are in a majority in Nuh, are questioning as to why a politician of the stature of Zakir Hussain joined the BJP. “Had he contested as an Independent, he would have won by a margin of 50,000. No Muslim can win on BJP’s symbol from any part of the country,” says Sabir Hussain, a worker of Zakir Hussain.
“He is a serial turncoat. He has changed parties so many times. In the hope of becoming a minister, he has joined the BJP,” claims Aftab Ahmed.
Zakir Hussain hits back, “Whatever issues I raised, whether for water or against eligibility of middle class pass for driving licences, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar gave me assurances. He is a ‘vikas purush’. On the other hand, Congress’ Aftab didn’t oppose this middle class pass condition when his party was in power. The issue here is development and jobs.”
But will Muslims vote for the BJP? Zakir replies while pointing towards the crowd at Ferozepur Namak village, “You can see the passion of people”.
Both Zakir and Aftab are clashing for a third time now — 1996, 2014 and the current election. Both lost in 1996 from Taoru. In 2009, Aftab had defeated Zakir’s uncle while in 2014, Zakir defeated Aftab by a margin of 32,796.
Khursheed Ahmed, father of Aftab Ahmed, defeated Tayyab Hussain, father of Zakir Hussain, in the 1977 Assembly polls from Taoru. Both had clashed in 1984 byelection in Taoru again where Tayyab pipped Khursheed. Nuh was carved out in 2009 from the Taoru seat.
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