Owaisi says AIMIM will contest 50 seats; BRS alert

Hyderabad: AIMIM chief and MP Akbaruddin Owaisi threw down the gauntlet and revealed that his party may contest 50 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections and have 15 MLAs in the Assembly.

He was replying to Telangana IT minister K.T. Rama Rao who remarked that AIMIM is getting more time than treasury benches even after having only 7 MLAs during the debate on Governor’s address.

In a shocking comment, Mr. Owaisi, on Saturday, said he will discuss with party president Br. Asaduddin Owaisi and see that his party gets more seats in the coming elections. He said he will make sure his party president agrees to contest 50 seats in Telangana.

Mr. Owaisi’s revelation has created panic among BRS leaders, especially those representing Minority stronghold constituencies in the state. In the last Assembly elections in 2018, the then Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now Bharat Rashtra Samithi) got the support of AIMIM and the United Muslim Forum to get Muslim votes to come to power. BRS leaders who did not want to be quoted said if they are seriously considering contesting 50 seats, it will be a major loss for BRS in the upcoming elections. Immediately after Mr. Owaisi’s announcement, discussions started in political circles.

Political experts say it may be a tactic to create panic among the BRS leadership or it may be to bargain on certain issues like 12% Muslim reservations, Muslim Bandhu Scheme on par with Dalit Bandhu, and Waqf Commisionerate in Telangana.

AIMIM in Telangana and India

AIMIM contested only 8 seats in the 2018 Assembly elections. In 2014, before the formation of Telangana, AIMIM had contested 35 seats but won only 7. After the election, AIMIM and TRS formed an alliance and fought the last election as allies to defeat Congress and Bharatiya Janta Party.

After 2014, Mr. Owaisi expanded his party to various parts of country and recently contested the Assembly elections in Gujarat, but they were unlucky. Before Gujarat, they had contested in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In Bihar, AIMIM contested against Congress, RLD alliance, and BJP and won 5 seats, but after winning, four of its MLAs joined RLD.

AIMIM has 2 MPs in the Lok Sabha, 7 MLAs in Telangana Assembly, and 2 MLCs in Telangana Legislative Council. In Maharashtra, they have 2 MLAs, and in Bihar, one. Mr. Owaisi is trying to make AIMIM a platform for marginalised communities and is constantly targeting Congress and BJP for not doing anything for Muslims and Dalits across the nation.

Congress is angry with AIMIM and Mr. Owaisi for spreading its wings outside Telangana. Congress leaders and many other regional parties called Mr. Owaisi a “Vote Katwa” and the ‘B’ team of BJP for trying to polarise Muslim votes. They see him as responsible for the division of anti-BJP votes.

Due to the Owaisi brothers raising their voice on issues like Triple Talaq, CAA, NRC & NPR, Babri Masjid, violence against Muslim youth, Uniform Civil Code, etc., they are getting good responses from the Minority-concentrated constituencies in various parts of the country.

Owaisi questions state’s neglect of Old City

On Saturday, Mr. Owaisi raised a host of issues during his speech. Stating that Chief Minister KCR, his son KTR, and other Cabinet ministers are busy, he asked, “Who will listen to our problems? Where should we go to represent our issues?” He urged the treasury benches to show at least one official who can resolve the problems of the Old City and the Minorities.

He asked what had happened to the metro project in the Old City and the KG to PG education scheme that was announced earlier. He said the government has given 10 acres of land for the Islamic Cultural Centre but the construction has not started yet. In the last Assembly session, the government had assured it would conduct a special meeting with ministers on Old City development and Minority welfare but nothing has happened till now, Mr. Owaisi further said.

He said he was fighting for the completion of the Charminar pedestrian project (CPP) in the House but the project is yet to be completed. He reminded the House about the visit by MLAs and GHMC officials to Lad Bazar five years ago and said Lad Bazar beautification is in the doldrums. Surram Cheruvu and Mir Alam Lake in the Old City should be developed and beautified, he added.