By Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which has further strengthened its hold over Hyderabad by increasing its strength in the state assembly from five to seven decided to adopt more aggressive approach on the problems of Muslim minority in the state and also expand its activities to the other regions of the state – Rayala Seema and coastal Andhra.
Despite MIM increasing the strength, the total number of Muslim MLAs in the assembly will remain at the earlier level of 11 as both the Muslim ministers have been defeated this time. Mohammed Ali Shabbir lost to his nearest rival Gampa Govardhan of TDP in Kamareddy district of Nzamabad and Mohammed Fareeduddin was defeated by the BJP’s sitting MLA G Kishan Reddy in Amberpet constituency in Hyderabad.
Apart from the seven MLAs of MIM, three Muslim candidates of Congress Mohammed hahjahan Basha (Madanpally in Chittoor), Syed Ahmadullah (Kadapa city) and Mastan Vali (Guntur) are also elected. The lone Muslim candidate of TDP to be elected is Abdul Ghani from Hindupur in Anantapur district.
The Praja Rajyam Party had fielded a record 16 Muslim candidates in assembly elections but none of them was elected.
Emerging winner from a tough battle in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, the MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi described the performance of MIM “a grace of Allah” and said that the good work and tireless service to the people has been acknowledged by the masses.
Asad defeated his nearest rival Zahed Ali Khan of Telugu Desam by a margin of 110,768 votes in a predominantly Muslim constituency of Hyderabad. Zahed Ali Khan, owner of leading Urdu daily “Siasat” had mounted a serious challenge to the MIM with the support of the two left parties CPI and CPIM, TRS, and host of local Muslim groups like Majlis Bachao Tehreek and Sunni Ulema Board. His margin of victory went up from 100,000 in 2004 by ten thousand votes.
“The opponents had resorted to all sorts of insinuations, false propaganda and conspiracies to divide the Muslim community and weaken MIM to prevent it from espousing the cause of the community. They forgot MIM was the voice of not only Hyderabadi Muslims but Muslims of India in the Parliament”, Asad Owaisi said.
Thanking the people for ensuring the victory of MIM by tireless work and also prayers, Asad Owaisi said, “the people of Hyderabad have once again demonstrated their love and their faith in the MIM. The party is the asset of the entire community”, he said.
Apart from retaining the existing five assembly seats, the MIM won two newly created assembly seats. Ahmad Balala was elected from Malakpet and Virasat Rasool Khan was elected from Nampally constituencies.
However the victory margin of some of the senior leaders of MIM came down. Akbaruddin Owaisi recorded a hattrick in Chandrayangutta assembly constituency when he defeated Khayam Khan of MBT with a margin of more than 15000 votes. “Yes margin has come down and we will see why it happened and take remedial measures”, he said.
Akbar Owaisi said that MIM will bring pressure on the government to launch more programs to provide houses and the jobs to the Muslims of old city to put an end to the backwardness of the community.
Chandrayangutta has always witnessed a keen battle between MIM and its rival off shoot MBT since 1994 when MBT founder Amanullah Khan had won it against MIM. But in 1999 young Akbaruddin had defeated the veteran fighter. Since his death, his sons have been trying to wrest it back from MIM unsuccessfully.