Decoding the Muslim vote bank

Is there a Muslim vote bank in this country and does it have the power to influence the elections? I ask this from Lucknow where I am presently observing the elections. Now, there are, as is the case in many cities, two Lucknows, one with the spanking gleaming expressways and metro line, the other with the congested bylanes of the old city, sorely lacking in civic amenities . Muslims who account for around 26 per cent of the city’s population, mainly live in this old city. I spent half a day in this part of Lucknow a few days ago to find out the mood on the ground, listen to voices on contentious issues like the hijab row and seek an answer to that very question: is there a Muslim vote bank out there?