By Mohd Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Itehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is contesting on 34 assembly and 5 parliament seats in the length and breadth of Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh, but the party’s nerve, its bastion, the hinterland of old Hyderabad seems to be drifting away from its fold.
Since past two weeks MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and the star campaigner Akbaruddin Owaisi has attended more Padyatras and public meetings in Yakutpura assembly segment than all other constituencies combined. They have every reason to concentrate on Yakutpura. Majlis Bachao Tehreek a breakaway faction of MIM has gained a huge momentum by banking on anti-incumbency wave against the sitting MLA Mumtaz Ahmed Khan who is representing Yakutpura assembly for past 20 years but with dismal development record.
Asaduddin Owaisi in door to door campaign with incumbent MLA Mumtaz Ahmed Khan.
The massive crowds MBT candidate Majeedullah Khan Farhat attracted in his public meetings made a big psychological attack on MIM leadership forcing them to shift all the focus down to their endangered ventilator.
Frustrated Asaduddin Owaisi accused MBT of being ‘Choti (small) BJP’ and ‘Munafiq ’ to suggest that it’s a conspiracy of Dushmanan-e-Islam (enemies of Islam) to stop the expansion of MIM by creating trouble in its own house.
Since years MIM didn’t made any direct attack on MBT and always preferred to ignore them as opponents which can’t be counted. But the fact that top leadership of MIM has been forced to get into direct war of words with MBT proves that MIM has comprehend the danger of losing the ground in their citadel to a rebel faction.
Yakutpura has 2.5 lakh electorate, out of which 2 lakhs are Muslims. Located in the heart of old Hyderabad, it neighbors other three MIM dominated constituencies of Bahadurpura, Charminar and importantly Chandrayangutta represented by none other than Akbaruddin Owaisi. Losing Yakutpura will send shivers to MIM in their neighboring strongholds.
Majeedullah Khan, however, feels shifting the attention of MIM back to most neglected Yakutpura is his big achievement. “I have come a long way,” he said, speaking with TCN during his door to door campaign in Santoshnagar area, adding, “I already consider myself the winner, I will defeat Mumtaz Khan the way Kejriwal defeated Sheila Dikshit in Delhi.”
During his interaction with public Majeedullah Khan personally hand over his election pamphlets, shakes hand holding it tightly for a minute explaining his development plans for the constituency. To youngsters he introduces himself as a civil engineer who wants to bring a change in old city.
“Every vote is important”, he tells his followers when they were trying to skip some non-Muslim homes. He knocks their door irrespective of symbols and tells them in chaste English or in broken Telugu that his politics is different from MIM.
Majeedullah Khan Farhat adressing public meeting at zafar road.
When he meets the public, he tries to generate a sense of hope, backing his candidature on the legacy of his late father Amanullah Khan he told an old man handing his pamphlet “Baap ka sunehra daur phir wapas laaonga (will bring back the golden period of my father).”
Amanullah Khan passed away more than a decade back but his public image is still a boost for Majeedullah, “It is not the legacy of my father but his hard work and contribution for the society which is creating a good will for my candidature.”
His father and founder of MBT Amanullah Khan was a stalwart of MIM before rebelling against the party, in 1993. In 1994 elections Mumtaz Ahmed Khan who was then MBT candidate won the seat. But he soon rebelled and rejoined MIM. In 1999 elections MBT fielded Majeedullah Khan to get back Yakutpura in its fold, but he was badly defeated by a margin of 31,000 votes.
So what has changed since 1999 that makes Majeedullah Khan confident of reversing his losing margin into a winning margin, “Much water has flown down the Musi”, he said philosophically pointing out overflowing drainage water in musi river. “This time people will define the agenda, MIM since decades has fooled people on the name of unity and fear of Hindutva, now the agenda is accountability and development,” he says.
Mohammed Salman, an engineering student from Dabeerpura locality, said he once saw Mumtaz Khan driving in his BMW 7 series over Zafar road bridge in midst of overflowing drain, that scene, that moment, he says, he decided he will choose anyone except Mumtaz Khan. “I will be voting for MBT not because I don’t like Asad bhai or Akbar bhai but people here seriously want a change. We can’t bear Mumtaz Khan anymore,” he told TCN.
Majeedullah Khan at his election Padyatra.
Noorunnisa, a septuagenarian living in Bannaka, Santosh Nagar since 1960’s has been voting for MIM, “I only knew that I have to press the kite (MIM’s) symbol” , she said in elderly voice. Even during the MBT wave in 1994 she remained loyal with the kite, but this time Noorunnisa said her vote is for TV (MBT’s symbol).
“Mumtaz Khan visits our area once in five years, till then there is no sign of him. MBT should also get a chance to prove themselves,” she told TCN. But for Parliament she has no two opinions on voting for Asaduddin Owaisi, “He speaks well in Delhi” she said.
Talabkatta, Bhavaninagar, Amannagar are the most underdeveloped parts of Yakutpura assembly segment, they also formed the largest chunk of votes almost 80,000, so can very well decide the outcome of the results. MBT seems to have an edge over MIM in these localities with their cloud 9 promises of development including construction of 100 schools which MBT alleged is being destroyed in 20 years of reign of Mumtaz Khan.
But there are also traditional MIM voters who will still vote for Mumtaz Khan even after bad reputation. Rahmath Ali, a bicycle mechanic from Talabkatta, said he and his family will vote for ‘Jamat’ because in this period ‘Itehad’ among Muslims is necessary. “Mumtaz Khan did nothing for us, I agree, but still I will vote for MIM. Because I don’t see face of Mumtaz Khan, but face of Akbar bhai while voting for MIM,” he told TCN. But he candidly agrees that majority of his friends and neighbours want to choose MBT this time and he is trying to convince them to be united under MIM.
After their massive meeting at Bada Bazar when MBT started calling it ‘Tehreek’ square, MIM called for a meeting at the same spot and Akbaruddin Owaisi pulled the similar massive crowd. The public heads war continue from Salam Chowk to Bada Bazar, Rein bazaar to Tallabkatta both parties organizing public meetings at same spot on consecutive day after their opponents meeting, challenging each other on the number of crowd pulled.
Akbaruddin Owaisi during his public meeting at Zafar road, shunned the debate around development and asked the huge crowd, “Do you elect us for repairing ‘Mohri’ (drainage) and supply ‘Peene ka pani’ (drinking water) or to represent the voice and cause of Muslim community in the assembly.”
Akbaruddin Owaisi adressing election meeting at same spot.
To which Majeedullah Khan counters in another public meeting, “If Mumtaz Khan has spoken 20 minutes in Assembly in all his 20 years tenure, I will withdraw from elections.” Pointing out it is only Akbaruddin Owaisi who is allowed to speak. Then in his fiery speech he tells the crowd that representative of Yakutpura for the first time in two decades will raise his voice for oppressed Muslims in the Assembly.
In another of his well-attended meeting in Yakutpura Akbaruddin Owaisi told the crowd abruptly “Mumtaz Khan is not responsible for Yakutpura, it is Majlis who looks after people of Yakutpura. Don’t think that you are voting for Mumtaz, because you will be voting not for an individual but for whole ‘Jamat (MIM)’. You should believe that Akbar Owaisi is himself contesting from Yakutpura,” standing by his side a speechless Mumtaz Khan looked astonished.
But Majeedullah Khan is not ready to accept that Owaisi brothers charm is any factor in Yakutpura, “They (Owaisi brothers) are campaigning for diminishing returns. I am now fighting a 1-3 fight (Majeedullah Khan Vs. Assaduddin, Akbaruddin and Mumtaz Khan). On 30th people will stand up for change not for emotions. On May 16th the myth about Hyderabad Muslims voting for religious loyalty over accountability and development, will be shattered.”