Lucknow: Former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Professor Tariq Mansoor is the new poster boy of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) which is wooing backward Muslims in Uttar Pradesh to increase its tally in the 2024 general elections. Former AMU VC was made a member of UP legislative council four months back.
Known for his good contacts in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Professor Mansoor has been chosen for the post of coveted post of national vice-president of BJP ignoring old loyalists Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaj Hussain. He has been the vice-chancellor of AMU for six years and before his tenure was to end in December last year, the BJP Government had given him an extension of one year.
Prof Tariq Mansoor was appointed AMU VC
Prof Mansoor was appointed VC of AMU in 2017 for a five years term which was completed in 2022. Only four months back, Prof Mansoor was elected to the UP legislative council as BJP candidate. His candidature had surprised many as the BJP national leadership had preferred him over many senior party leaders.
During his tenure as AMU VC Prof. Mansoor had invited many RSS leaders in the university programmes as well as union & state ministers. Known for his proximity with Sangh leader and convener of Rashtriya Muslim Manch, Indresh Kumar, Prof Mansoor had faced criticism over his rough handling of student’s agitation against the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) in AMU.
BJP leaders feel Mansoor might try to woo muslims
According to senior UP BJP leaders, Prof. Mansoor may spearhead the party's campaign in the state to woo Muslims. The party has been focusing on backward Muslims in UP this time to increase its tally in the coming general elections. After winning the minority dominated assembly seat of Rampur in the by polls this year, the party decided to work on this front in a more precise manner. In the recently held urban local bodies’ elections, BJP fielded a large number of Muslim candidates and many of them registered victory also. Of the 391 Muslim candidates fielded by BJP in urban body polls of UP, 61 had won. It is learnt that after the elevation of Prof. Mansoor to the post of national vice-president, the party might use him in luring Muslim voters in UP.
