Battleground Charminar constituency: AIMIM remains invincible
Hyderabad: Ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls, politics turned hot in the Charminar constituency. If the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party has anything to boast about in this election, then it is the competence to hold the Charminar seat for 12 terms in a row. As the Congress is in revival mode, two party candidates from Congress applied in Gandhi Bhavan for assembly ticket from Charminar segment. Uma Mahender (BJP), BRS contender Ibrahim Lodhi and TDP’s Ibrahim Bin Ali Masqati have come forward to fight the elections. The MIM sits strong in the constituency as no party comes near its popularity in the Old City. As per political analysts, some party corporators and a senior leader have come forward to contest. However, they have few chances as Mumtaz Ahmed Khan would be continuing the contender. The Majlis party had won the seat in 1967; ever since it has been representing the constituency for the last 57 years. It’s firm grip on the Charminar area has ensured its victory even in toughest times. Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, father of Asaduddin Owaisi, contested and won the seat in 1967, 1978, 1983, Syed Hassan in 1972, Mohd Mukarramuddin in 1985, Virasat Rasool Khan in 1989. MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi made his debut in politics after he contested and won the Charminar seat in 1994. He defeated MBT candidate Hussain Shaheed by 40,544 votes, and also in 1999. Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri contested in 2004, 2009 and 2014. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan grabbed the seat in 2018 and might continue in the upcoming polls. It is said that the MIM wins here irrespective of the candidate and no other party reaches close to the MIM candidate in terms of votes. In the last term of the Assembly elections, Mumtaz Ahmed Khan won with 53,808 votes with 53.36%, and T Uma Mahender (BJP) stood second with 21,222 votes (21.04%), and INC candidate Mohd Ghouse got 16,899 votes (16.76%). As MIM has been strong since decades, there was a speculation that Nooruddin Owaisi, son of party’s floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, who is a doctor, might enter politics and would be the new candidate from the segment, following the path of Sultan Salauddin Owaisi and Asaduddin Owaisi who dominated the Charminar seat earlier with majority votes. However, Akbaruddin denied his son is entering politics. On Tuesday senior Congress leader advocate Mujeebullah Shareef filed an application at Gandhi Bhavan. Soon another leader Mohammed Ayub Khan will apply for the ticket. The BJP is likely to name Uma Mahender who stood second with 21,222 (21%) votes, while TDP might give the ticket to Ibrahim Bin Ali Masqati. However, he was recently seen with senior Congress leaders. The BRS contender Ibrahim Lodhi is to contest in a friendly fight with MIM.
