Hyderabad, April 10: The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) is trying to project the BJP as its main opponent from Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat. Experts see this as a ploy to polarise the Muslim votes in its favour.
The MIM leaders are going all out to “downplay” the candidature of journalist-politician Mr Zahed Ali Khan, who is as popular as Asaduddin Owaisi in the old city.
Mr Khan is contesting on a TD ticket as the Mahakutami’s candidate.
He is also supported by the MBT, the arch rival of the MIM.
“The recent attacks on him, allegedly by supporters of the MIM, has only increased his popularity,” said CPI(M) MP, Mr P. Madhu, who is campaigning along with Mr Khan.
Brushing aside the opinion of experts, Mr Asaduddin said the statistics speak for themselves.
“In 1991, the TD got five per cent of the votes and the BJP got 42 per cent. Likewise, in 1996, the TD got six per cent votes and the BJP got 27 per cent and the NTR-TD seven per cent and even in 1998 the TD got only seven per cent votes and BJP 38 per cent. It has always been the BJP which has been the main opponent. The MIM has never lost an election from here since 1984. I am concentrating on improving my victory margin this time,” he said.
Experts, however, differed with Mr Owaisi and said what he claimed was true going by the pre-delimitation exercise. Post-delimitation, the Assembly constituencies of Chevella, Tandur and Vikarabad have been severed out of Hyderabad seat from where the BJP used to get majority of the votes.
Now there are 13.30 lakh electorate here and 70 per cent are Muslims. Charminar, Yakutpura, Chandrayangutta, Karwan, Malakpet, Bahadurpura and Goshamahal are the seven Assembly segments that form part of the Hyderabad seat.
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