Jubilee Hills Bypoll: AIMIM Yet To Take Decision For Backing Congress
The AIMIM has already offered to join hands with the I.N.D.I.A. bloc for the Bihar polls, and is awaiting a response from RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and other alliance partners: Reports
HYDERABAD: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said that “no decision” has been made yet on supporting the Congress candidate for the Jubilee Hills bypoll, even though the Congress remained confident of getting the support of the city-based party.
A statement made by Owaisi, urging party workers to support a “proactive local youth” in the bypoll during a public meeting in Shaikpet, have lent weight to the notion that the AIMIM would back the Congress. “We shall ensure the BJP does not get further strengthened in the constituency. Ensure the success of the local youth,” Owaisi said while laying the foundation for development works.
His veiled attack on the BRS during his address on October 2 in the Jubilee Hills constituency — questioning the development of the past decade under the BRS and stressing the need to ensure that the BJP does not gain a foothold — has given a clear indication to party workers to rally behind the “local youth” in the forthcoming by poll.
These two statements have triggered social media buzz suggesting that Naveen Yadav was the “youth” that Owaisi was referring to, especially in the wake of his AIMIM background.
Congress candidate Naveen Yadav, who spoke to the media, said he is yet to meet Owaisi to seek his support. “Owaisi is my political guru, while Revanth Reddy is my godfather. I shall definitely seek his support. I got a chance to contest only because of his (Owaisi) blessings,” Naveen Yadav said.
The AIMIM has already offered to join hands with the I.N.D.I.A. bloc for the Bihar polls, and is awaiting a response from RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and other alliance partners. It is believed that the AIMIM has linked its support to the Congress in the Jubilee Hills bypoll to political developments at Bihar.
Hiving indications that the party may back the Congress, Owaisi said he has a “good relationship” with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. “Yes, I have a good relationship with Revanth Reddy. I’ve said this before, and I’m saying it again,” he said.
He praised Revanth Reddy for taking up the Hyderabad Old City Metro project. He pointed out that in the past, when the AIMIM was supporting the BRS, the Metro was not a priority. “The Chief Minister met me and asked about the cost. I told him `2,000 crore. After three or four days, he issued a GO and said he would inaugurate the metro line,” he recalled.
According to some political analysts, the AIMIM may back the party in power in exchange for support in crucial municipal divisions, similar to its equations with the BRS when it was in power. With the GHMC polls impending, a political understanding with the Congress would ensure that the AIMIM secures the Shaikpet and Erragadda wards as a reciprocal gesture for supporting the Congress candidate this time.