Former Union minister Salman Khurshid has emerged victorious as the president of the India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC), defeating six other candidates, including a prominent figure linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in closely contested election.
Khurshid is a distinguished lawyer and former minister of law and justice. He secured 721 out of 1671 votes cast in the IICC election, which was held on 11 August.
There were with concerns reportedly among members that the centre could fall under the influence of RSS proxies. Dr Majid Ahmad Talikoti, a national convenor of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an RSS-affiliated outfit, was seen as the proxy candidate of former IICC President Sirajuddin Qureshi. However, Talikoti only managed to secure the fifth position, while most of Qureshi’s panel members were defeated.
Khurshid’s panel saw further success with Mohammad Furqan, a former mayor of Aligarh, winning the vice president post. The election results were a mixed outcome, as no single panel dominated the election, which involved 75 candidates competing for 13 positions on the IICC’s management body.
The counting of votes took three days and was delayed due to the use of a single ballot paper for all positions, adding to the tension of the election.