The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) will contest in the Andhra Pradesh municipal elections from 47 wards where there is a sizable Muslim population. Andhra Pradesh will hold polls across 12 corporations and 75 municipalities on March 10.
The AIMIM has chosen wards spread across Adoni, Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, Kadapa, Nandikotkur, Guntakal, Kadiri, Rayadurg, Hindupur, and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation to contest from, reported Times of India. The party has also fielded candidates across wards in areas with predominantly non-Muslim communities and has extended support for several independent candidates.
The AIMIM has a history of contesting in Andhra Pradesh regions even before the state’s bifurcation in 2014. The party in the 2014 municipal elections had won five wards in Adoni. They had also fielded candidates to contest 34 Assembly seats in both the Telugu states in 2014 but did not win any seats in Andhra Pradesh. As far as the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation is concerned, the party has fielded two candidates to contest from the 50th and 54th East divisions, a new move by the AIMIM, The New Indian Express reported.
AIMIM president and Hyderabad Member of Parliament (MP) Asaduddin Owaisi is presently touring the state as part of campaign efforts. On Friday, he extended support to the bandh opposing the Visakhapatnam steel plant.
The politician on Friday met with an all-party group protesting against the proposed disinvestment of the steel plant by the Union government. He was on his way to Adoni town in Kurnool district campaigning for the municipal polls. The MP alleged that the Narendra Modi led government was promoting crony capitalism with its attempts to privatise the steel plant.
“AIMIM is against the privatisation of the steel plant. We will take up the issue on the floor of Parliament. Post bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the Union government has constantly been indifferent towards the needs of the two Telugu states. Neither Andhra Pradesh nor Telangana has benefited in any manner from the Union government. We are against VSP’s privatisation and will extend our support to stall this move,” Owaisi was quoted as saying.