Fatmi in JD(U), RJD faces big Muslim test

With the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Muslim face in Mithilanchal, FA Fatmi, deciding to join the ruling Janata Dal (United), the former chief minister Lalu Prasad-headed opposition party has reasons to worry about sustaining its support base among the minority community.
Fatmi, a former Union minister and four-time MP from Darbhanga, had deserted the RJD after being denied a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls, and he joined the JD U this week.

He chose to join the JDU at a time when the party was in news for its opposition to the triple talaq bill in Parliament despite being an ally of the BJP. The JDU staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday protesting against the bill.

RJD members said the party leadership was finding it hard to contain the damage from Fatmi’s decision to join the rival party. “Unlike RJD’s other Muslim leaders, Fatmi has a good image among minority voters, particularly in Mithilanchal region – which covers Darbhanga and Madhubani,” an RJD member said on condition of anonymity.

Along with Yadavs, Muslims form the core of the RJD’s support base.

With its party chief serving a jail term, the RJD is finding itself vulnerable to both the BJP and the JDU. While the BJP is eyeing its Yadav support base, the JDU is seeking to woo the Muslim community.

JDU members said that the party is enthused by its good performance in Kishanganj in the Lok Sabha polls. “Although Kishanganj has a high Muslim population, the JDU candidate got more than three lakhs votes, even as his party is an ally of the BJP. He lost the election by a margin of about 34,000 votes. The JDU leadership sees this as a chance to emerge as a good political option for minority voters across the state,” said an JD U member.

Meanwhile, the JDU’s minority cell has fixed a target of recruiting 5,000 active members. “The party’s minority cell is active to connect minority voters with the party at ground level,” said another party member.

JDU members said the party was desperately looking for a prominent Muslim face like Fatmi to reach out to the community.