BJP soon may have no Muslim face in parliament

Since the name of Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is missing from the list of BJP nominees to the Rajya Sabha, the saffron party may have no Muslim member in either House of Parliament as the current round of Upper House polls concludes.

The BJP had three Muslim MPs till the Budget Session. However all of them were in the Rajya Sabha, and none was there in the Lok Sabha. The three Rajya Sabha MPs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam and journalist-turned-politician M.J. Akbar are all completing their tenures by July. Unless renominated, BJP will end up having no Muslim face in Parliament. The Hindu reported.

Rumours are rife that Naqvi may be asked to contest the Lok Sabha bypoll from Rampur after the seat was vacated by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.