Majlis Party First List Out Of MLAs, 7-Candidates In First List, New Faces Introduced, Sitting MLAs Dropped

By Arhaan Faraaz | Hyderabad

It’s a game of watch and wait at Darussalam, the Majlis headquarters at Darussalam in Hyderabad. Prospective candidates fill every inch of the sprawling office.

Many think it’s the right time to catch the eye of ‘Sadar sahib’. The Majlis is believed to have received applications for the coming Assembly polls beyond its expectations. Sources say more than 200 applications have been received, a large number from Telangana and Seemandhra regions. There are at least 15 to 20 applications from each constituency. A good number of applicants include non-Muslims and women, it is learnt.
With the campaigning for municipal elections over, the Majlis is expected to finalise the names of candidates in the next two days since the nomination process begins in Telangana on April 2. Contrary to its original plans, the party is seriously thinking of entering the fray from 15 to 20 Assembly segments and a couple of Lok Sabha seats in both Telangana and Seemandhra. This follows the good response it received during the just-concluded campaigning in these parts.

“There is none to address the community problems in Seemandhra. Muslims here want the Majlis to come to their help,” says Mayor Mohd. Majid Hussain, who campaigned for the party in Anantapur and Kurnool districts. The Majlis is contesting from 325 wards in 27 municipalities in Telangana and 15 in Seemandhra. It is also in the fray for the Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Kadapa and Anantapur municipal corporations.

Will the Owaisi brothers be able to translate the crowds they attracted outside Hyderabad into votes? That’s the big question.

Many think the party may not win, but it will definitely be a strong contender and play spoilsport in several constituencies. Observers feel the Majlis’ game plan is to prepare the ground for 2019 election.

Party Supremo Asaduddin Owaisi declared the names of MIM’s candidates for seven Assembly segments.

He was addressing the party primaries meeting at Darussalam.

MIM retained five sitting MLAs while announcing its candidates for the seven Assembly seats it presently holds.

Kausar Mohiuddin is the only surprise inclusion in party’s first list of candidates for the Assembly elections.

Here are the names of candidates and constituencies in Hyderabad.

• Akbaruddin Owaisi  -  Chandrayangutta
• Mumtaz Ahmed Khan  -  Yakutpura
• Ahmed Pasha Quadri  -  Charminar
• Ahmed Balala  -  Malakpet
• Moazzam Khan  -  Bahadurpura
• Jaffer Hussain Meraj  -  Nampally
• Kausar Mohiuddin  -  Karwan

There are two new faces Jaffar Hussain Meraj and Kausar Mohiuddin in MIM’s first list. Jaffar Hussain Meraj had served as Deputy Mayor, GHMC, whereas Kausar Mohiuddin is a senior MIM worker whose wife is a GHMC Corporator. Kausar Mohiuddin’s wife Najma Sultana is sitting Corporator from Nanal Nagar division. Party dropped two sitting MLAs Virasat Rasool Khan and Muqtada Afsar Khan.

He asked all party leaders and workers to work hard to ensure the victory of party candidates in the coming elections. Five sitting MLAs Akbar Owaisi, Ahmed Pasha Quadri, Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, Moazzam Khan and Ahmed Balala were retained.

This will be the fifth term for Yakutpura MLA Mumtaz Ahmad Khan.

MIM is planning to contest for some more seats in the city and other districts for which the names of the candidates are expected to be announced very soon.