Muslim leaders against Jaleel Khan’s daughter

• Former Mayor Mallika Begum stages a protest at One Town demanding release of fatwa against the candidature of Jaleel Khan’s daughter Shabana Khatoon, who is aspiring to contest upcoming Assembly elections from West Assembly constituency

Vijayawada: Vijayawada West MLA Jaleel Khan is getting stiff resistance from TDP Muslim leaders on his efforts to get ticket for his daughter Shabana Khatoon, who is aspiring to contest upcoming Assembly elections from West Assembly constituency.

Jaleel Khan is facing stiff resistance from Nagul Meera, Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Police Housing Corporation. Nagul Meera along with Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the latter’s residence in Undavalli on Saturday.

Nagul Meera is asking the CM to give ticket to contest in polls from Vijayawada West Assembly constituency. Meera alleged the TDP leadership is giving priority to defected leaders like Jaleel Khan, who won on behalf of YSRCP in 2014 elections and joined TDP.

Jaleel Khan is also facing resistance from former Mayor Mallika Begum, who staged a protest near the residence of priest Abdul Khadeer, who issued fatwa during 2009 elections that Muslim women have no role to play in politics and women candidates should not contest the elections.

Another TDP leader Mallika Begum is alleging that MLA Jaleel Khan had influenced the priest Khadeer to issue the fatwa against the woman candidates from contesting the elections in 2009.

Former Mayor Mallika Begum contested on behalf of Congress party in 2009 and was defeated by Praja Rajyam Party candidates Vellampalli Srinivas. Jaleel Khan contested as rebel candidate and was blamed for defeat of Mallika Begum as Congress votes were divided.

Later, Mallika Begum joined TDP. Mallika Begum on many occasions alleged she was defeated in the Assembly elections because of Jaleel Khan. There were no harmonious relations between the two leaders for nearly one decade.

Now, Mallika Begum is questioning how Jaleel Khan can field his daughter Khatoon to contest the Assembly elections when he opposed the candidature of Mallika Begum in 2009 elections and influenced priest Khadeer to give fatwa against the contesting of Muslim women in the elections.

Now, the fatwa given by priest Khadeer became an important topic among Muslims community in Vijayawada. TDP minority leaders are also not happy with the claim made by Jaleel Khan that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced the candidate of his daughter Shabana Khatoon from Vijayawada West Assembly constituency.

Muslim Hakkula Porata Samiti State president Farooq Shubli has expressed solidarity to Mallika Begum visiting the protest venue in old city on Saturday. Shubli had questioned how MLA Jaleel Khan could field his daughter to contest the polls when he vehemently opposed the candidature of Mallika Begum in 2009 Assembly elections.

On the other hand, Moulana Khadeer refused to comment on the protest made by Mallika Begum on Saturday.