By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is all set to launch its political wing Welfare Party of India in Andhra Pradesh. Party’s first state office is going to be inaugurated in Hyderabad’s posh locality Banjara Hills on 1st August. And formal launch of the party is scheduled on 7th November.
Jamaat is planning a big congregation of its cadre in Nizam College ground on 7th November in a show of strength and support to the Welfare Party during its launching day in the state. Jamaat-e-Islami head office in Hyderabad has already started preparations for giving a base to their political debut in A.P.
Membership drive has been started and Jamaat says it is receiving good response. Erstwhile members of Movement for Peace and Justice, a social organization of Jamaat are in forefront to join the political group.
In the initial stage the party has planned to set up offices in 14 districts, separate election will be conducted for electing the president for those districts. State unit of Welfare Party of India will have 150 members in its general council, the party will have Christians, tribals, backward classes and scheduled castes besides Muslims in the general council. Executive and working committee members will be elected from the general council after the formal launch of the party.
In month of May Welfare Party has already elected septuagenarian Sultan Mohinuddin Mallick as the president of A.P state unit of the party. S.M. Mallick in his 70’s is a senior member of JIH, and a veteran Telugu journalist. He was the editor of ‘Geetorai’, JIH Telugu journal. He is also a former member of Markazi Majlis-e-Shoura of Jamaat.
Welfare Party of India which was formed two years ago in Delhi is now having units in six states, and A.P is their next target. Party claims to be working above religious or caste affiliations, and is pledging to carry along the marginalized groups such as SCs, STs and BCs.
A.P is already having a Muslim political party Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Unlike other states, Andhra will not be a cake walk for Welfare Party. Till now Majlis has not reacted or taken Welfare Party seriously, but seeing the past of Muslim politics of A.P particularly in Hyderabad a dirty combat seems inevitable.