AIMIM and BJP Compete for Hyderabad's MLC Seat
Click to start listening
Synopsis
AIMIM and BJP are vying for the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency seat in the Telangana Legislative Council election, scheduled for April 23, amidst the absence of Congress and BRS from the contest. AIMIM’s Mirza Riyaz Ul Hasan Effendi faces BJP's N. Gautham Rao in a high-stakes political battle.
Key Takeaways
- AIMIM and BJP are primary contenders for the Hyderabad LAC seat.
- Both Congress and BRS are not participating in the elections.
- AIMIM holds a numerical advantage with 49 votes.
- BJP aims to challenge perceived alliances between AIMIM, Congress, and BRS.
- Raja Singh opposes his party's candidate choice for Hyderabad LAC.
Hyderabad, April 6 (NationPress) The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are currently engaged in a direct contest for the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency (LAC) seat in the Telangana Legislative Council, set for April 23.
Both the ruling Congress and the main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) have opted out, making the battle a two-horse race between AIMIM and BJP.
AIMIM’s Mirza Riyaz Ul Hasan Effendi is slated to face N. Gautham Rao from the BJP, marking the inaugural direct clash between the two parties in the Hyderabad LAC.
Statistically, AIMIM appears poised for a likely victory since Congress and BRS are stepping back, making it a potentially easy win for the party led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
For the BJP, this contest holds significance beyond mere symbolism, as they aim to unveil what they allege is a covert alliance between Congress and BRS with AIMIM.
The electorate for the Hyderabad LAC includes 110 voters, comprising corporators, MLAs, and MPs. AIMIM holds a majority with 49 votes, followed by BRS with 25 and BJP with 22, while Congress has 14 votes.
Although Congress has not publicly stated its support for AIMIM, it is anticipated that they may back their allied party.
Previously, AIMIM was viewed as an ally of BRS during its tenure in power, but after Congress’s ascent in November 2023, Owaisi's party has fostered a closer relationship with them.
The BJP recognizes its numerical disadvantage but is determined to push forward a candidate to create competition.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay, quickly criticized the three parties, characterizing it as a ‘love triangle’ in Telangana.
He accused both BRS and Congress of abstaining from the Hyderabad MLC elections to facilitate AIMIM’s victory.
Sanjay pointed out that Rahul Gandhi's party is now collaborating with the same BRS and AIMIM that he previously alleged were in league with BJP during elections.
Reports suggest that Congress assured AIMIM of its backing for the Hyderabad LAC seat when AIMIM sought one of the seats from the MLA quota.
Recently, five MLC vacancies from the MLA quota were filled unanimously—three candidates from Congress and one each from allied Communist Party of India (CPI) and main opposition BRS were elected unopposed.
Congress has also reserved an MLC seat for CPI to honor a commitment made during Assembly elections.
If elected, it will mark the second term for Mirza Riyaz Ul Hasan Effendi as MLC, having previously secured the seat in 2019, with his term concluding last month.
AIMIM currently boasts seven MLAs and one MLC, with Mirza Rahmat Baig being elected in February 2023 with BRS’s support.
The BJP is buoyed by victories in two out of three MLC seats from Graduate and Teachers’ constituencies in February, having triumphed over Congress in a direct contest in the Karimnagar-Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad Graduates constituency.
While BJP contested all three constituencies, Congress targeted only one, and BRS withdrew from the race.
These wins have raised BJP’s tally in the 40-member Legislative Council to three.
In March 2023, a candidate from the BJP-affiliated teachers’ union secured victory in the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad teachers’ constituency.
However, the BJP, with eight MLAs in the 119-member Assembly and eight out of 17 Lok Sabha seats last year, is grappling with internal dissent regarding its choice for the Hyderabad LAC candidate.
Controversial MLA Raja Singh has criticized the party’s decision to nominate Gautham Rao, claiming that the selection process ignored senior leaders.
Gautham Rao previously served as the president of BJP’s Hyderabad Central district and is known to have close ties with G. Kishan Reddy, the Union Minister for Coal and State BJP president.
Raja Singh has been vocal in opposing Kishan Reddy's decisions, recently alleging that certain BJP leaders engaged in secret discussions with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
He questioned the feasibility of the BJP forming a government in Telangana under such clandestine circumstances.
