Fadnavis-led BJP Govt inducts Hasan Mushrif as only Muslim Cabinet minister
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Kagal MLA Hasan Mushrif has been inducted into the Devendra Fadnavis-led Cabinet in Maharashtra, becoming the sole Muslim Cabinet minister under a BJP Chief Minister.
Mushrif, a six-time Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator, was sworn in on Saturday, marking a significant appointment as Muslim political representation in Maharashtra continues to decline.
Muslims, who comprise approximately 11.5% of Maharashtra's population, have historically seen a notable presence in state politics. Since 1960, 70 Muslim MLAs have held ministerial positions, including 36 as Cabinet ministers.
During the Congress-led governments between 1999 and 2004, the community achieved its highest representation with seven ministers. However, the trend has diminished over the years, with only 10 Muslim MLAs elected in the most recent Assembly polls.
Mushrif’s appointment comes after splits in the Shiv Sena and the NCP reshaped Maharashtra's political landscape. He had previously faced criticism from the BJP over alleged corruption in cooperative bank and sugar mill transactions linked to his family. However, his alignment with Ajit Pawar and the NDA government has muted these allegations, allowing him to retain his position in the Cabinet.
In Maharashtra’s post-2019 government, two Muslim MLAs, Mushrif and Abdul Sattar of the Shiv Sena, secured ministerial positions. However, Sattar was excluded from the current Cabinet, leaving Mushrif as the only Muslim Cabinet minister. Notably, Fadnavis’s earlier tenure between 2014 and 2019 under the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance did not feature any Muslim Cabinet members.
Muslim representation at the national level within BJP-led states remains limited. Uttar Pradesh has one Muslim minister, Danish Ansari, who holds a Minister of State rank, while allies like the Telugu Desam Party and Janata Dal (United) have one Muslim Cabinet minister each.
Hasan is the younger brother of former Maharashtra Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shamshuddin Mushrif, who authored the book Who Killed Karkare?. The book alleged that the 26/11 Mumbai attacks were a conspiracy by individuals within the intelligence and security set-up to halt ATS chief Hemant Karkare’s probe into the alleged involvement of Hindu extremist groups in spreading terror, according to The Indian Express.