Muslims wary of Modi, fondly remember Vajpayee

The unhappiness vis-à-vis Modi does not mean that Muslims are for the Congress.

"Muslims too are for a change at the centre," said Haji Kayal R.S. Elavarasu, who heads a Muslim group in Tamil Nadu. "But we are not ready to accept Narendra Modi."

He added: "Given the current political formations, Muslims may have even voted for the BJP had it projected someone else as its prime ministerial nominee."

A tea vendor in Kerala's capital who did not want to be named said he missed the now ailing Vajpayee, who was prime minister for six long years until the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was voted out in 2004.

"When Vajpayee was at the helm of affairs, there was no such animosity towards the BJP in our community," the man said.