Eye on elections: AIMIM may re-enter AP politics to cash in on Muslim votes

Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) plans to make a re-entry into Andhra Pradesh politics amid political turmoil.

AP is in the news following the arrest and jail of Telugu Desam Supremo and TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu in multiple cases by the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government.

MIM, a pan India party now, had contested assembly polls in 2014 and other local body elections, but stayed away from the 2019 Assembly polls.

Owaisi hints at working in AP

Owaisi gave enough indication to the media that MIM was planning to work in Andhra Pradesh. However, he did not say whether the party would contest the ensuing Assembly elections or not.

Though MIM's performance was poor in the 2014 assembly polls, pressure from the cadre and leaders has made the party supremo think about making an entry again, according to sources in MIM.

Besides, Telugu Desam which had ruled the state, is in dire straits following the arrest and jail of party supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena is backing Telugu Desam while Jana Sena is an ally of the BJP.

Though Chandrababu Naidu was keen to have an alliance with the BJP, the BJP high command did not respond and in the meantime, Naidu was jailed.

MIM leaders and cadre reportedly insisted that the party supremo to see that MIM contest polls in AP to protect the cadre and party from joining other parties.

Owaisi meets Jagan

Owaisi met AP Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy recently and openly supported him. AIMIM is an ally of BRS in Telangana State.

He took a dig at jailed Andhra Pradesh former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu and openly praised Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Chandrababu in jail, you cannot trust him

“Regarding Andhra Pradesh, there Chandrudu is in jail and is sitting there comfortably. You know why the poor man had gone to jail. There are only two options—you have Cycle (TDP) and Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRCP). Jagan Mohan Reddy is comfortable. You cannot trust him and never trust him (Naidu). In Andhra Pradesh we need to work,” Owaisi said.

However, Telugu Desam leaders say Owaisi pointed fingers at Jagan and not at them.

Contests 15 seats in the past

AIMIM contested 15 assembly seats in 2014 but polled less than 10,000 votes. It stayed away from the 2019 assembly elections.

Andhra Pradesh has a Muslim population in some pockets and Owaisi plans to cash in on it. Out of about 4.94 crore population, Muslims constitute 7.33 percent of the population.

Muslim population

Andhra Pradesh which has a 175-member Assembly has a Muslim population ranging from 3 per cent to 16.55 per cent.

Kurnool district has the highest Muslim population of 16.55 percent followed by Kadapa at 15.75 percent and Guntur at 11.45 percent, Anantapur at 10.47 percent. Other districts where Muslims matter include Nellore 9.73 percent, Chittoor 9.53 percent, Krishna 6.80 percent and Prakasham 6.49 percent, according to sources.

Unlike Muslims in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana, Muslims in Andhra speak fluent Telugu compared to Urdu! They are also culturally bonded with locals.

In the last polls, Muslims stood by Jagan Mohan Reddy and expected to stand by him this time too. MIM had close ties with Y S Rajasekhar Reddy's government in the undivided Andhra Pradesh and is closer to Jagan Mohan Reddy now.

MIM had contested assembly and local body polls in Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and other places and AP may be added to the list again.