Hyd Governed By Centre Would Leave Party Without MLAs. The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leadership is keeping its fingers crossed even as the separate Telangana struggle seemingly entered the final lap in the corridors of power in New Delhi. With the formation of T now looking inevitable, it is hoping against hope that Hyderabad is not made a Union Territory as it would spell doom for the party.
The city has been MIM’s stronghold for decades and the party, which claims to espouse the cause of the largest minority community in the country, has elected representatives from Chandrayangutta, Charminar, Yakutpura, Bahadurpura, Malakpet, Nampally and Karwan Assembly constituencies.
Party sources said that if the city was administrated by a lieutenant governor, their influence in administrative and political arena would wane.
Hyderabad MP and MIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi is likely to meet the Congress party high command to lobby for representation of minorities in the Assembly during the monsoon session of Parliament, MIM sources said. “Owaisi is in constant touch with Ahmed Patel, the political secretary to Sonia Gandhi. He is very concerned about the future of the city and is closely monitoring the situation along with his aides. The party is against the division of the state,” said a party source, requesting anonymity.
Party officials told INN that their leadership was aware that the “big change” could happen anytime and the cadres have been instructed to be alert. They said that the party was concerned that the representation of Muslims would decline further, claiming that ‘T’ had the backing of the BJP and the ‘division of the state would strengthen Hindutva forces’.
“Apart from legislators in Hyderabad, there are no Muslim MLAs in other parts of Telangana. Making the city into a Union Territory would only spell doom for representation of Muslims in the Assembly and Parliament,” said the source.
Meanwhile, Owaisi on Monday instructed partymen to be vigilant and prepare for the 2014 Assembly and Parliamentary elections. He stressed that the poll percentage, which was around 56 per cent in 2009, in the parliamentary election should be increased.
He also urged cadres to focus on new areas where the party stood a chance to win, including Rajendrenagar, where the MIM candidate stood third in the last elections, and Jubilee Hills Assembly constituencies and Secunderabad Parliamentary constituency.
“A big change is going to happen in the state. We have to be ready to face any such situation. Whatever it may be, we will carve out a strategy. The consolidation of Sangh forces do their best to undermine the secular forces,” Owaisi said.
