AIMIM to contest 7-8 seats, not 50: Sources

Hyderabad: Will All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) contest 50 seats in the ensuing Assembly election in Telangana as announced by its leader Akbaruddin Owaisi?

Sources say it may not and confined to 7 or 8 seats like in the past. Contrary to the “threat” doled out by MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi that the party would contest 50 seats and win at least 15 seats, sources in BRS and MIM indicated the party would confine to Hyderabad city and contest the same number of seats, barring some last-minute change in the decision adding one or two more seats.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s open assertion in the Assembly that MIM is their friendly party will certainly have its impact on seat sharing and MIM would not take any step that will jeopardise KCR’s eye on the third term in power.

MIM will stick to previous number

“MIM will retain its 7 seats. I don’t think they will venture out for more seats and cause damage to BRS in the ensuing assembly elections. Though Akbaruddin Owaisi announced MIM will contest at least 50 seats and win at least 15 seats in the assembly in February, I think with the changing political scenario, especially after the rise of Congress, MIM will stick to its old pattern,” a senior BRS leader said.

BRS finds Congress a threat compared to BJP now, especially after the Congress' stunning win in neighboring Karnataka.

MIM can easily win 7 assembly seats and could try one more in Hyderabad City. In Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the party won 42 of the 150 wards.

MIM has some hold in Rajendranagar, Jubilee Hills, Goshamahal, and Amberpet assembly constituencies in Hyderabad/Ranga Reddy districts. They tried Rajendranagar's seat, but could not win.

Muslims sway over some constituencies

BRS banks on the support of Muslims, who constitute about 12 percent of the State’s 4 crore population. Muslim voters are in sizeable numbers in Hyderabad, especially Old City, where MIM has a stranglehold and tilt the balance in nearly half of the 119 Assembly constituencies.

According to one survey, Muslim voters constitute between 35 and 60 percent of 10 constituencies in Hyderabad and 10 to 40 percent in 50 other constituencies in the State.

Except for the eight Assembly constituencies where AIMIM candidates were in the fray, the party backed TRS in all the remaining constituencies.

Peeved at the statement of Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao that AIMIM has only seven seats in the House during a debate in February, Akbaruddin Owaisi said he would talk to his party president and see that they would contest more seats in the upcoming polls.

“I have taken a very serious note of the comments made by the Minister (KTR) on MIM. I assure him that I am going to make sure I talk to my party president and see that we contest more seats in the coming elections and we come not in the number of 7 but come in the number of 15 next time by contesting at least 50 seats. I make sure my party president agrees with this. If he agrees, we will have more MIM legislators here and work together with Bharat Rashtra Samithi,” he remarked.

MIM won 7 seats

In the 2018 assembly elections, TRS now BRS won 88 out of the 119 and MIM retained its 7 seats.

BJP predicted

BJP General Secretary P Muralidhar Rao predicted Akbaruddin Owaisi's statement was hallowed and the MIM will not contest 50 seats since it will damage BRS.

BRS and MIM reiterated their friendship and bonhomie once again in the just concluded assembly session, with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announcing that it will sail with MIM in the ensuing assembly elections.

Akbaruddin Owaisi heaped praises on the BRS government led by K Chandrasekhar Rao's policies in Telangana State, particularly towards minorities.

He said unlike in other places, where Muslims were treated as second-class citizens, in Telangana they got pride of place and treated equally along with Hindus and other communities.’

Inclusive and comprehensive development of Telangana, peace, and communal harmony prevailing in Telangana has made it a role model for the country in 9 years, he added.

KCR: MIM is our friend

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, while dismissing BRS and MIM as B team of BJP, asserted that BRS was a secular party and Majlis and “we are friendly parties. We are friendly party now and in future too we will be friendly parties and achieve good results,” he said in the assembly.