IICC Election: Political Tussle Expected

The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) will also participate in the upcoming elections of the India Islamic Cultural Center (IICC), a prestigious institution known both nationally and internationally. The IICC, located on Lodhi Road, holds elections every five years for 11 members, including the president and vice-president. This year’s election is scheduled for August 11.

Industrialist Sirajuddin Qureshi has been winning the presidency for the past four elections. This time, MRM’s national convenor, Majid Ahmed Talikoti, is contesting for the post. Talikoti, a prominent cancer surgeon from Karnataka, is expected to face senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid, who previously ran for president in 2014.

In previous elections, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan ran in 2019 but lost to Sirajuddin Qureshi. This year, Qureshi is not running for president due to his age but will seek a position on the Board of Trustees as part of Talikoti’s panel. While the opposition panel has not been officially announced, the election is shaping up to be a contest between the BJP-Sangh alliance and the Congress party, as the MRM is considered close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Approximately 2,000 voters, including former Union Ministers Mohsina Kidwai and Dr. Karan Singh, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad, MP Tariq Anwar, columnist Shahid Siddiqui, as well as various national and international leaders, bureaucrats, intellectuals, and industrialists, will participate in this election. Many non-resident Indians are also members of the IICC.

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The IICC was established in 1981 through the efforts of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The founder of Hamdard, Hakeem Abdul Hameed, served as its first president. In 2006, the center was inaugurated by former Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi.

According to a senior MRM official, Talikoti’s candidacy was endorsed by the organization, and his panel includes individuals from various fields. Former president Sirajuddin Qureshi is among them, seeking election as a Board of Trustee member.

Majid Talikoti, addressing his ties with the RSS, stated that he maintains relations with everyone. He is running in this election to promote religious harmony, bridge societal differences, and raise awareness on issues such as culture, education, and health. Sirajuddin Qureshi emphasized that this election is also about protecting the center from politicization.