Political buzz as Congress leaders meet Akbaruddin Owaisi

HYDERABAD: The curiosity generated by AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi’s assertion in the Assembly last week that the party would contest about 50 constituencies prompted the Congress legislators to call on him in the Assembly premises on Monday.

The legislators including Congress Legislature Party chief Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, T. Jayaprakash ‘Jagga’ Reddy and D. Sridhar Babu met Owaisi for about an hour, creating a buzz in political circles.

Later, the Congress leaders responding to queries from media personnel, brushed aside queries by media persons and said that it was not a crucial meeting that would have an impact on the relations between the Congress and its former ally.

While Sridhar Babu termed this as a ‘non-political’ meet, Jagga Reddy said it was a casual meet and greet. It is believed that Jagga Reddy who represents Sangareddy got curious about the seriousness of the city-based party fielding their candidates in 50 constituencies.

On Saturday, Owaisi had said in the Assembly: “I am going to make sure that I talk to my party president and see that we contest more seats in the coming elections. We may not come in the number of seven but, I will make sure that we come in the number of at least 15 next time by contesting at least 50 seats."

This was in reply to minister K.T. Rama Rao complaining that the AIMIM was taking an undue amount of time of the Assembly, given its strength.

Owaisi had taken strong exception to Rama Rao saying that the AIMIM's seven MLAs were speaking for hours in the House and asking how much time should the BRS get with its strength of 105 MLAs.