Ramzan in the time of Lok Sabha polls: Candidates keep meals light, meetings indoors, speeches short

As mercury starts rising just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, especially in the heartland, Muslim candidates headed for elections in western Uttar Pradesh in the first phase who are observing fast during the ongoing Ramzan are adjusting their campaigns and modifying their diets.

Instead of going for door-to-door canvassing in the sun, the candidates, cutting across party lines, are opting for indoor meetings. If they have to be outdoors during the day – when they abstain from taking any food or water – they hold nukkad (street-corner) meetings with small gatherings in tents, where they keep their speeches short, lasting for about 5 minutes on an average.

The candidates only head out to the streets or markets in the evening when the community members step out of their homes after breaking their fast at iftar.

Instead of the usual spread, on the menu of the candidates these days are light meals like khichdi and dalia (porridge) for sehri – the pre-sunrise meal — and dates, juices and fruits for instant energy at the end of the day.

Ramzan got underway on March 12 and is likely to conclude on April 10, with Eid-ul-Fitr slated for April 11 depending on the moon sighting. The nomination for the first phase of polls, on April 19, started on March 20.

Of the eight seats in western Uttar Pradesh going to polls on April 19, seven have sizeable Muslim populations. These include Rampur, Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Moradabad and Bijnor. In Rampur, the Muslim voters make up about 52% of the electorate.

The SP’s candidate from the Rampur seat, Mohibbullah Nadvi, says he ensures he doesn’t miss his five-time daily namaz as he contests his first election. He also uses the mosque visits to interact with the community, says