AIMIM Asad wins Hyderabad seat for 5th time; trumps BJP Madhavi Latha with over 3 lakh votes

Hyderabad: AIMIM president and Lok Sabha contestant Asaduddin Owaisi registered a fifth consecutive win from the Hyderabad constituency. He prevailed over BJP candidate K Madhavi Latha – who shot to national fame during the election period – by a margin of 3,38,087 votes.

While Asad polled 6,61,981 votes, Madhavi Latha came second with 3,23,894 votes. Asaduddin first won from Hyderabad in 2004 and he successfully retained the seat in General Elections held thereafter in 2009, 2014 and 2019.

Asaduddin Owaisi’s political journey

Hyderabad has been MIM’s fortress for the last 40 years.

Asad’s father Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi first contested and won from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha segment in 1984. He held the seat till 2004 by winning six consecutive elections.

Salahuddin Owaisi passed on the baton to his elder son Asad Owaisi in the 2004 election and the latter continued his father’s legacy by winning five consecutive elections including the latest one.

Though Asad Owaisi was a strong favourite to retain the Hyderabad seat, Madhavi Latha, an unknown face in political circles, gave the MIM think tank a lot many reasons to ponder over and rework their strategies.

Asaduddin’s majority margins till now

2024 elections: 3,38,087 votes

2019 elections: 2,82,187 votes

2014 elections: 2,02,454 votes

2009 elections: 1,13,865 votes

2004 elections: 1,00,145 votes

Madhavi Latha’s aggressive campaigning drew unwanted attention

Madhavi Latha, a staunch Hindu follower and who also recites slokas with perfection, is from a corporate background and has been involved in charity work, especially with Muslim organisations in the Old City for the last few years.

She sought the BJP ticket from Hyderabad and the party high command did not look beyond her. Madhavi Latha with her aggressive campaigning was able to create a big buzz for good reasons and sometimes for unwanted controversies.

What garnered national attention was the BJP central leadership including Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and others praising her and fully backing her to take on Asad Owaisi, who on umpteen occasions had cornered the Modi government in Parliament on various issues relating to the public and government policies.

Madhavi Latha, though a rank newcomer to politics, did put up a decent fight. She garnered a commendable 3.2 lakh votes and got a majority over Owaisi in the Goshamahal Assembly segment represented by BJP MLA Raja Singh.

As many as 30 candidates including those from Congress, BRS and independents were in the fray in the election and the polling percentage was 48 per cent with 10.74 lakh votes polled this time.