Asad in MIM hotseat, scouts for new faces

By Ayaan Khan

Consolidation rather than expansion is the mantra MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi is said to be chanting.

For Asad, 2009 election will be his first test as party president and hence his every move would be watched by the MIM cadre as well as other political parties.

According to observers, as a result of the delimitation exercise not only has the Hyderabad parliamentary seat gained tremendously in Muslim numbers, but there are also about two dozen assembly segments from where the MIM can make a serious bid.

Asad Owaisi, they said, is not carried away by new statistics. His focus is on increasing the number of MIM members in the assembly from the existing five to at least eight and consolidate the party base. He is scouting for new faces as he would like to field relatively young men alongside the party veterans. The party would also like to field a Hindu candidate from Rajendranagar assembly segment where 80,000 Muslim voters reside. The MIM, insiders informed, began holding street corner meetings nearly two years ago. It was in response to the aggressive campaign launched by the two Left parties in cooperation with MIM’s arch rival MBT. The Left campaign received a boost when two Urdu newspapers, Siasat and Munsif, extended their support and their editors got involved personally in the anti-Majlis drive. The Majlis countered the newspaper offensive by starting its own Urdu newspaper, Etemad.

As the atmosphere in the Hyderabad parliamentary seat became hotter with each passing day, Siasat editor Zahid Ali Khan declared that he would fight as an Independent candidate from Hyderabad constituency. He received instant support of almost all opposition parties, the TDP-led Grand Alliance, MBT and Prajarajyam. The BJP which declared the list of its contestants from all over the state has held back the name of its candidate from Hyderabad giving credence to speculation that it too would extend its support to Khan.

“Let the opposition say or do whatever it wants to. Tour the constituency and you would notice the change the Old City has witnessed. Open drains have almost disappeared. The work on Rs 215 crore new sewer line is in progress. There are cement roads even in narrow lanes. I have utilized my entire MP fund in my constituency. We have also spent Rs 70 lakh from MIM party funds on improving the standards of schools. The party is alive to the problems of the people,’’ Asaduddin Owaisi said.

The observers said that the MIM’s cool response stems from the fact that it has confidence in its strong voter base and an understanding with the ruling Congress on seat sharing.