In the 2007 Assembly polls, the BSP fielded about 80 Muslim candidates and it worked. “Behanji wants to project the party as the only well-wisher of Muslims,” a BSP MLA said.

The party has already selected 16 Muslims and sources said it would field about 25 per cent Muslim candidates in the state’s 80 LS seats. “She is looking for Muslim faces who can be fielded against senior BJP leaders,” a source in the BJP said.

While prominent Muslim faces like Shahid Sidiquee and Nawab Kajim Ali had already made it to the list, the latest to enter us Mehdood Madani, son of Jamat-i-Ulema national president Asad Madani. Mehdood is likely to be fielded from Saharnpur.

In Eastern UP, the party is projecting Ansari brothers, who enjoy good support among the Muslim voters not only in Ghazipur but also in adjoining districts like Mau, Azamgarh, Varanasi and Ballia.