New Delhi: Leaders of various political parties including Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP on Monday condemned the attack on senior CPI leader Govind Pansare and asked Maharashtra government to ensure that the culprits are arrested and an in-depth probe is held.

The CPI(M) has given a state-wide protest call against the attack.

Shiv Sena leader and Union Minister Anant Geete condemned the attack on Pansare and said it was a “challenge” for the state government.

Pansare, who led a campaign against road toll tax, and his wife today suffered serious injuries after they were shot at by some unknown assailants in front of their house in Kolhapur.

“We Condemn-senior CPI leader Govind Rao Pansare shot at in Kohlapur-Maharashtra, where he was leading a campaign against toll tax!,” Congress leader Ajay Maken tweeted.

NCP Chief Sharad Pawar termed as “shocking” the attack on Pansare and appealed to Maharashtra Government to “use their own forces” for an in-depth investigation.

“I condemn this attack…. Those who are responsible… they should be taught a lesson,” the former Maharashtra Chief Minister said.

“I know him for last 40-45 years. He is a committed person. He is the person who always fought for his cause. And he never compromised on his principles,” Pawar said.

The NCP leader said this is the second such incident in the state after anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune in August, 2013.

Condemning the incident, CPI (M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said such incidents are “becoming a sort of a routine matter” in Maharashtra.

“Yes, he was leading an agitation of Left parties against toll taxes…That has been a very popular and a very big agitation and surely there are vested interests who would lose because of this. They may be targeting.

“Also he has written a very popular book on projection of Shivaji and what actually the history was and how these are being used by all these Hindu communal outfits mainly Shiv Sena and the BJP. So that could also be one of the reasons,” Yechury said.

“So whatever be the actual reasons, proper investigation has to be done,” he said. He said the CPI (M) has given a state-wide protest call against the attack.

The assailants fired at Pansare and his wife this morning outside the Ideal Housing Society here when the couple was returning after their daily morning walk from Shivaji University.

While Pansare was hit by bullets on the nape, his wife Sau Uma Pansare suffered a single bullet injury, Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Omprakash Sharma said.

New Delhi: The number of Muslims contesting the assembly polls in Delhi has fallen significantly in comparison to 2013. And Muslim leaders and pundits feel most Muslims are likely to vote for the AAP.

Of the 673 candidates in the fray for Saturday`s battle for the 70-member assembly, 68 are Muslims – down from 108 two years ago when the total number of contestants was 810. In 2013, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party fielded the highest number of Muslims — 11 each. The BSP`s Muslim candidates this time has slid to seven. The Samajwadi Party is not in the race this time.

Muslims account for over 11 percent of nearly 17 million population in Delhi.

Up to eight constituencies have significant Muslim presence. These include Okhla in south Delhi, Mustafabad and Seelampur in east Delhi and Matia Mahal and Ballimaran in Old Delhi.

Matia Mahal has most Muslim candidates among all constituencies: 14 out of 17.

The number of Muslims put up by the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains virtually unchanged.

The Congress fielded six Muslims in 2013 and four of them — or 50 percent of its eight legislators — won. It has put up six Muslims now.

According to the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), 53 percent Muslims voted for the Congress in 2013.

The Congress vote share, however, slipped in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, indicating a shift of a part of its Muslim vote base among others to the AAP.

The Congress is hopeful that Muslims will stick by it now.

“The Congress will retain all its Muslims constituencies. Individual factors also matter. People know that only we (Congress) can stop communal forces like BJP,” Matin Ahmed, who has not lost any election since 1993, told IANS

The AAP has given ticket to five Muslims, down from six in 2013.

“We are sweeping Muslim votes this time,” asserted Irfanullah, who heads the AAP`s wing for minorities.

“In 2013 they (Muslims) were not sure about us. Now they know that the AAP alone can stop the BJP,” he said.

The BJP has fielded only one Muslim – Shakeel Anjum Dehlavi, who was formerly with the AAP. The number was the same in 2013.

“The BJP does not believe in the politics of so-called minority and majority. We choose candidates based on their winnablity criterion,” Atif Rashid, president of Delhi BJP`s Minority Cell, told IANS.

The Hind Congress Party has fielded four Muslim candidates

The Nationalist Congress Party, All India Minority Front, Indian Muslim League, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, Communist Party of India and Janata Dal-United have fielded one Muslim candidate each.

So who are Muslims in Delhi most likely to vote for? The most widespread answer is: AAP.

“AAP appears to the most favourite among Muslims,” Sanjay Kumar, a Fellow at the CSDS, told IANS. “Most Muslims think only the AAP can overcome the BJP.”

Mufti Mukarram, the Shahi Imam of the 17th century Fatehpuri mosque in Old Delhi, agreed with Sanjay Kumar`s assessment.

“From whatever interactions I have had with Muslims, I get the feeling that most Muslims will vote for the AAP.

“The main reason is that Muslims are able to connect to the issues raised by AAP. Also, Muslims, like everyone, remember the 49 days when (AAP leader Arvind) Kejriwal provided a corruption-free government.”