HYDERABAD: In a significant decision, All India Majlis-e-Itteha-dul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has decided against contesting the Karnataka state Assembly elections, scheduled to happen next month.
According to party sources, AIMIM feels that if it contests the elections in Karnataka, it could harm “secular parties”.
Mr Asaduddiin Owaisi, the chief of the AIMIM, had previously dropped enough hints of contesting the Karnataka elections from many seats.
The AIMIM has a significant presence in certain parts of Karnataka. It has some corporators in the municipalities of Bidar and Basavakalyan. The party contested the last Bengaluru municipal elections, but it did not manage to win any seats.
The local unit of the AIMIM had almost geared up to the contest the elections. According to local leaders based in Karna-taka, a few candidates even visited the AIMIM headquarters Darusalam in hope of getting a ticket.
Mr Owaisi had earlier said that “people of the country are fed up with BJP governance and Congress is not a viable option, neither it can become one.” He was also reportedly in talks with the Janata Dal-Secular.
The sources, however, said that the AIMIM chief had consultations with party leaders and took a decision against contesting the elections. This moves comes just a few weeks before the last date of filing of nominations for the Assembly polls.
Whenever the Hyder-abad-based had decided to contest outside its traditional stronghold, it has been criticised by non-BJP parties of helping the BJP by spliting votes.
The MIM’s decision could help the Congress in the Hyderabad-Karna-taka region — the areas ruled by the Nizam before the princely state of Hyderabad was merged with India. This region sends 30 MLAs to the Karnataka Assembly.
Ironically, Mr Owaisi’s stand is contrary to its ally in Telangana — the TRS — which is supporting the JD-S, which is fighting the Congress.
