Muslims form 18 per cent of the total electorate in this sprawling state and are in a decisive strength in 13 constituencies. On 38 seats they can tilt the balance. Their presence varies from 14 per cent to 42 per cent in 30 of the 85 constituencies. No wonder, all non-BJP parties are now trying to encash the anti-SP sentiments to increase their own tally ..

It has been the misfortune of this community that despite its electoral strength it never had any agenda of its own, a separate political thought or a prominent leader. It is because of this that it has been shifting its loyalty from one party to another. If the Congress was its first choice till 1977, it experimented with different outfits till it found Mulayam in 1989. It has been voting in favour of the SP since its inception in 1992.

But now the community is at the crossroads. Mulayam is no more its leader and the Congress has no political potential in the state to give a befitting reply to the BJP.

The BSP has a limited political space. Hence, the churning within and the nervousness of the main political players who are unsure of which way the Muslim wind will blow. (Source: The Indian Express, 14 September, 1999)