National and secular parties – big or small – had better watch out. Identity-based politics is beginning to see the emergence of new Muslim parties, challenging the assumption that the real political fight is between secular and communal parties in national and regional polls. In the secular category currently are the Congress, the Left and assorted regional parties ranging from the Samajwadi to the BSP and DMK; in the non-secular category, only the BJP has been pigeon-holed into the slot, even though parties such as the Akalis and the Shiv Sena are no different. Now one can add the slew of Muslim parties to the second bundle.