By A. Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: The mostly Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has sought to extend its footprint outside Andhra/Telengana region by fielding as many as 24 candidates for the October 15 Maharashtra assembly polls.
Expectedly, most of these candidates are from Muslim dominated areas, especially in Marathwada, which was part of Nizam of Hyderabad’s state prior to Independence. More candidates from Marathwada region are obvious also because the MIM already has a footprint at the municipal level with as many as 11 corporators in the Nanded municipality. No wonder, Nanded is considered as the party’s hub in Maharashtra.
One of the picture forwarded by MIM supporters on social media
Although the MIM is not looking at a huge debut in Maharashtra, but its chances of sending an MLA to the Maharashtra assembly have two major hurdles: the aggressive Hindutva parties and the fact that there are several Muslim candidates in each seats that it is contesting. Division of Muslim votes is a worry for the MIM.
On the other hand, MIM’s entry is also worry-some for the Congress and the NCP after the two parties parted ways because they fear MIM might eat into Muslim vote share. The party sources said the candidates are chosen carefully considering their winning ability, talent, conviction for minority section and affection of local people towards them. The party has been given symbol of ‘Kite’ for the election.
Of its two dozen candidates, 3 are non-Muslims, who will fight from Akkalkote (Subhash Anandrao Shinde), Solapur City North (Dr. Vishnupant L. Gavade) and Kurla, Mumbai (Avinash Gopichand Barve). These three seats are allotted to cash in on the dalit support also in the remaining 21 constituencies from the party has fielded Muslims. These are also the three pockets from among the 24, where Muslim voter presence is relatively lesser than other constituencies.
MIM has also extended support – and not fielded its own candidates – to dalit leader and former minister Gangadhar Gade contesting from Aurangabad (W) on the Panthers Republican Party tickets.
Candidates and Constituencies:
A quick look at these 24 constituencies shows that there are total 147 Muslim candidates battling against each other. On an average there are 6 Muslim candidates fighting from these 24 seats, thereby making it a difficult task for MIM to pull together Muslim voters.
Because of its ready base in Nanded, the party has fielded candidate on both seats of Nanded and has pinned all its hope on winning these seats relying on the division of non-Muslim votes, especially after the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance broke off.
Adv. N. Khan, a social activist and promoter of MIM from Nanded region said, “The prospect of MIM from Nanded, especially after division of INC-NCP and SS-BJP alliances is bright. Muslims in Nanded are very much united and inclined towards MIM whereas non-Muslim votes are bound to break up between five major parties (INC, NCP, BJP, SS and MNS)”.
There are 7 and 9 other Muslim candidates fighting from Nanded North and Nanded South seats on Welfare Party of India, Awami Vikas Party, Majlees Bachao Tahreek, Bahujan Mukti Party, BSP, IUML and independents too. MIM candidates at Aurangabad (E) and Parbhani face 11 other Muslim contestants.
“It is unfortunate that these many Muslims are willing to fight against the MIM candidates, but we don’t think it will affect the MIM, because youth are mainly with MIM and are trying hard to unite Muslims under our banner,” Khan said.
After Marathwada, MIM faces an intense struggle in Mumbai where it has fielded candidates on 50% of the seats. At the Mumbadevi (Mumbai) seat, there are 12 other Muslim contestants in the fray – the maximum for a single seat among these 24 seats – where MIM’s candidate is Mohammed Shahid Rafi. He is the son of late singer Muhammad Rafi.
MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi has already held many rallies but as the seats where it has fielded candidates are all strongholds of either INC or NCP or SP candidates, some of them Muslims too, and with established electoral credentials.
Juber Khan of MIM Bhiwandi region said, “Seeking change, many youth are joining us each day. We have started a campaign through WhatsApp to increase awareness amongst Muslim youths. We are getting overwhelming response not only at Bhiwandi but also at other Mumbai regions seats.”
Versova, Kurla , Sion-Koliwada (all from Mumbai), Osmanabad and Akkalkote (Marathwada) are the only seats where there is only one Muslim contestant against the respective MIM candidates. However, MIM is facing questions over Muslim vote-split from established parties here. At several seats in Mumbai regions, SP has strong presence and some Muslim MLAs too were elected in 2009.
“Why is MIM fielding candidate against strong Muslim candidates?” the rivals ask. Abdur Rashid Tahir had won last election on the SP ticket from Bhiwandi (W), this time he is battling on NCP ticket. Abu Asim Azmi, SP’s Maharashtra chief, is fighting from Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar.
Sajid Shaikh, an employee with BMC school, said, “I like MIM, but that does not mean I will vote for it when it fields candidate against Muslim MLAs who have worked for the community in last 5 years”.
Mumbra-Kalwa is the region from where NCP leader Jitendra Awhad was elected in 2009 election and is again fighting from the same seat this year. MIM has fielded Ashraf Mulani. “Awhad has not developed this constituency in last 5 years. I feel there is a need for change and hence MIM should be given a chance to prove itself,” Adv Wakil Shaikh from Mumbra.
Muhsin Shaikh, a youth from Mumbra, is under the dilemma whether the claims made by Owaisi about Hyderabad’s development in his speeches and social media handles are true or bragging. “We never heard about MIM in Maharashtra before. I did not find (on internet) any proof of development work done by MIM in Hyderbad, how should I believe that their claims are true”, he questioned.
Focus Marathwada:
The scene in Aurangabad is very different. MIM is fielding candidates from all three seats here and the campaigning by its star campaigner is on a high. In fact, MIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi is carrying out a door-to-door campaign. Mr. Javed Qureshi, MIM’s district president, told TwoCircles.net, “We are keenly focusing on Aurangabad. With Asad Saab (Asadudin Owaisi) campaigning on foot, we are going to each and every home to convince the voters. We suspect, the Congress in Aurangabad is worried because of us”.
One of the picture forwarded by MIM supporters on social media
Dr. Abdul Gaffar Quadri, MIM candidate from Aurangabad (E) said, “We are presenting ourselves to be the best option for the minority in raising their voices in the assembly. We are also going to non Muslims and trying to tell them that we are not a communal party but a true secular party.”
Quadri faces sitting MLA Rajendra Darda, a Congress heavyweight. “Everybody has seen what the Congress has given to Muslims in 60 years. Today’s people are very much mature and aware, they will not vote for non working Congress candidates.” According to his son Muhammad, MIM has a youth wing, which is active on social media and reaching out to large number of people (to explain them) the strength of MIM candidates.
Sayed Imtiaz Jalil, a former television journalist, who has made a foray into the political arena on MIM ticket from Aurangabad (Central ) is facing a crucial fight against all major parties as well as against 4 other Muslims. When asked why people should vote for him, a confident Jalil told Twocircles.net, “People want change and we are posing ourselves as the much needed change on whom people can put their trust.”
The support from non-Muslims, he said, “depends on personal relation. Moreover, we are campaigning in non-Muslim areas too.”
No candidates from Vidarbha:
Interestingly, MIM has not fielded any candidate from Vidarbha region despite considerable Muslim presence in certain districts and towns there. Out of 60 assembly seats in Vidarbha, about 10 have substantial Muslim dominance but MIM chose not to field any candidate here.
Md. Siddiq, MIM Vidarbha, told Twocircles.net, “We desperately wanted MIM to field (candidates) from at least 5 seats in Vidarbha but the party for some reason has decided to leave this region for now. We are nervous that we will have to vote for non-MIM candidate in our region but we are making every effort to make people (here) aware about MIM so that party can make some roadways in near future for corporate elections”.