Owaisi’s AIMIM faces tough contest, retains 7 seats in Telangana
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In a closely contested battle, the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) managed to retain its seven seats in the State Assembly elections. However, the party's traditional stronghold saw a decrease in its vote share, raising eyebrows among political analysts.
The AIMIM, led by Asaduddin Owaisi, secured victories in constituencies it had been winning since 2009. The party, in alliance with BRS, contested nine seats in Hyderabad, with the remaining constituencies backed by BRS. Despite the overall success, the party experienced a 2.22% decline in vote share compared to the 2018 elections.
Notably, AIMIM candidates faced a nail-biting finish in Yakutpura and Nampally constituencies. In Yakutpura, the party retained the seat by a margin of only 878 votes, causing some tense moments as the candidate trailed during various counting rounds.
Former mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain, representing AIMIM, clinched victory in Nampally by a narrow margin of 2,037 votes against the Congress candidate Mohammed Feroz Khan. The constituency witnessed a heated battle, with AIMIM raising concerns about alleged RSS leaders campaigning for the Congress candidate.
In the heart of the city, Chandrayangutta saw Asaduddin Owaisi's brother, Akbaruddin Owaisi, retaining the seat with an impressive margin of 81,668 votes. The veteran politician has been consistently winning this seat since 1999.
The AIMIM's celebration at Darussalam, its headquarters, was a jubilant affair as Asaduddin Owaisi and all newly elected MLAs joined hundreds of party workers to mark the victory. The party's success was underscored by notable wins in Charminar, Karwan, Malakpet, and Bahadurpura constituencies.
However, in a surprising turn of events, AIMIM's candidate Rashed Farazuddin finished a distant fourth in Jubilee Hills, while former Indian cricket captain and Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin faced defeat in the constituency.
Overall, the AIMIM's performance in the elections reflects a mix of close victories, comfortable margins, and a slight dip in its vote share, signalling a shifting political landscape in its traditional stronghold.