The Mahaz is yet to decide on the number of Lok Sabha seats it intends to contest.

The outfits — Muslim Majlis, Parcham Party of India and National Loktantrik Party (NLP) — which had participated in February 20 rally to condemn the persecution of Azamgarh youths, took this step primarily for two reasons. First, the convener of the Ulema Council unilaterally announced that they would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and even named the eight constituencies. Secondly, they were also unhappy over the use of “intemperate language” used by some of the speakers at the rally.

“Our front will not be for the Muslims alone, several small parties representing the extremely backward and under-privileged sections of the society will be associated with us,” said Syed Badr Kazmi, coordinator of the new front. “Left parties are our natural allies and talks are on with them.” Muslims are victims of state terror, while the state is facing the brunt of global terror, said Peerzada Salim Ahmed Khan of Parcham Party. “So our endeavour will be to give a new direction to politics,” he added.

“We will make efforts for participatory politics by Muslims, instead of politics of demands that they have been pursuing for the last six decades,” he added.