Recent state elections in India, particularly in West Bengal and Assam, have underscored ongoing challenges regarding Muslim political representation in the country. Despite Muslims comprising more than 30 percent of the electorate in these states, their political presence and influence remain limited, raising questions about their role in India’s broader political landscape.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which secured roughly two-thirds of the seats in these elections, notably did not field a single Muslim candidate in either state. In contrast, the opposition parties’ success was largely driven by Muslim leaders; in Assam, 22 of the 24 opposition winners were Muslim, including 18 from the Indian National Congress. In West Bengal, 40 out of 293 newly elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are Muslim, with 34 belonging to the Trinamool Congress (TMC), representing about 45 percent of the party’s total seats.

This electoral outcome highlights a broader trend in which Muslims are largely excluded from the BJP’s power structure while simultaneously leading opposition forces in regions with significant Muslim populations. However, these opposition leaders are predominantly Hindu, complicating the political dynamics further. In Kerala, for example, the United Democratic Front (UDF) secured 102 seats, with a sizable number of Muslim and Christian MLAs — 30 and 29 respectively — marking a regional exception in minority representation.

On the national stage, Muslims continue to be underrepresented relative to their overall share of the population, which exceeds 15 percent. The 18th Lok Sabha includes only 24 Muslim Members of Parliament (MPs), about 4.4 percent of the total. This figure has remained relatively stable over the decades, with the exception of the early 1980s when Muslim representation peaked at close to 8-9 percent. Despite historical presence in significant constitutional positions and Union cabinets, current representation of Muslims in such roles has dwindled substantially. There is no Muslim Chief Minister in India, and Jammu and Kashmir’s Union Territory status further limits Muslim political authority. Additionally, Muslims constitute only a small fraction of senior government secretaries, Supreme Court judges, and governors.

Notwithstanding political marginalization, the Muslim community is making strides in various professional sectors, including medicine, law, academia, science, technology, and media. Increased access to civil services and armed forces also indicates a positive trend outside the political arena.

The current political configuration has led to an identity-based polarization, with the BJP consolidating a Hindu-majority vote, while opposition parties are increasingly perceived as “Muslim” parties despite their Hindu leadership. This dynamic is exploited by the BJP to deepen communal divides and consolidate its base, particularly in key states such as Kerala and those in Northeast India, where the party maintains alliances with Christian tribes and has refrained from pushing contentious cultural issues.

The pressure to safeguard secularism thus disproportionately falls on the Muslim community, an unrealistic expectation in a diverse democracy where Muslims are geographically dispersed and politically fragmented. Past attempts by Muslim leaders to create independent political platforms have often ended up benefiting the BJP by dividing opposition votes. Historically, Indian Muslims have primarily aligned with Hindu-led political formations, a strategy that, while imperfect, afforded some representation in the power structure.

Observers suggest that addressing Muslim underrepresentation will require innovative coalition-building across communal lines, particularly mobilizing significant Hindu constituencies to uphold constitutional secularism. Given the first-past-the-post electoral system, proportional representation of minorities remains unlikely, underscoring the need for inclusive leadership and trust-building among India’s diverse communities to effectively challenge the BJP’s dominance and ensure broader political participation.