In numbers: How Muslim consolidation may influence electoral outcome in poll-bound states

Ahead of the Assembly polls in West Bengal, Assam, and Kerala, Muslim consolidation may have a bearing on the electoral outcome in these poll-bound states.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, Congress in Assam and Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala have been the preferred choices of Muslim voters in recent elections. However, the 2019 Lok Sabha elections saw the kind of Muslim consolidation never seen before. In most states, parties seen to be giving a tough fight to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies got 70 per cent and more of Muslim votes, according to Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) data. In West Bengal, for instance, the TMC secured 70 per cent of the Muslim votes in 2019, which was a substantial jump from 51 per cent in the 2016 assembly polls and 40 per cent in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.