Ahmedabad, September 29: A serving Muslim IPS officer, who escaped lynching by a mob during the high time of Gujarat riots, is after the retirement a favourite of chief minister Narendra Modi.
In another bid of image makeover Narendra Modi is personally supervising the election of Abdullah Ibrahim Saiyad, a retired IPS and a candidate for the civic poll, in Ahmedabad due next month. The chief minister is most probably planning to make him the Muslim Mayor of the city.
Saiyad, who joined the BJP just before the Lok Sabha elections last year, is a candidate from Sarkhej ward in Ahmedabad in the civic polls.
Political observers are of the view that Modi is now busy improving his image among Muslims as globally the Gujarat riots earned a very bad name for him. He was denied the US visa on te plea that minorities both Muslims and Christians are being discriminated and victimized in his state.
A few months back Modi appointed Shabbir Hussain Shekhadam Khandwawala, as the first Muslim DGP of the state. He has recently been given a three-month extension.
Reports said that Saiyad is among the 12 Muslim candidates in Gujarat fighting on a BJP ticket. In the Junagadh municipal corporation polls last year, Modi nominated Muslim candidates, but the move backfired and Congress won.
After the victory in Kathlal assembly bypoll earlier this month, Modi claimed that 65 per cent Muslims voted for the BJP. Saiyad actively campaigned for the party. Both Saiyad and Modi hail from Mehsana district.
Saiyad was an IG, when he almost became a victim of mob violence on February 28, 2002. A mob surrounded him looking at the name on his uniform badge.
He was not given important posting during the most part of Modi regime till the last year of his retirement in 2008, when he was promoted as additional DGP and put in charge of police administration.
-Agencies