HYDERABAD: AIMIM’s incumbent Chandrayangutta candidate Akbaruddin Owaisi makes it a point in his every public meeting to hit out at critics who ask: “Majilis kya kari? (What did Majilis do in terms of development in Old City?). And in every rally, Akbaruddin retorts: “I want to ask about what you did when you were in power?” before laying down the specificities of different developmental projects that he has undertaken for Chandrayangutta’s residents - which include establishing basti dawakhana, Owaisi hospitals, schools, flyover projects road widening and other works.
However, has that been enough for the residents of Chandrayangutta constituency - the neighbourhoods of Chandrayangutta, Barkas, Bandlaguda, Moin Bagh, Jangammet, Rakshapuram, parts of Edi Bazar (part) and parts of Uppuguda? It’s a mixed bag.
Kareem, an employee at a juice shop near the Owaisi Hospital, shrugged when the question of development came up.
For Kareem, getting access to a hospital in the area is a task. “We can’t afford Owaisi hospitals. Even a routine check up to a doctor over there costs `200. We go to a government hospital in Barkas where the infrastructure is not that good.”
In contrast, Kareem’s employer, Hussain, cut in and said, “He has done lots of work in the place. I am sure that he would come back to power.”
Indeed the same sentiment was shared by an advocate from Balapur, Farooq. Farooq contended that there was no strong opposition to Akbaruddin. “It’s not like he did not do any work. He took up some developmental works in the last few months. For instance, he got sanctioned 50 acres of land for the graveyard and also a 100 ft road here. These have not gone unnoticed.”
The shrinking spaces for the dead have been a point of concern for the residents of Old City. However, Farooq pointed out that these “developments do not matter in the long run”. Why? He said, “The question is not of the development of the place but it should be regarding the socio-economic development of Muslims. He has been the MLA since 1999, but the issues that bother minorities still remain the same. Where are the jobs? There are no skill development centres over here.”
Apart from that, a major point of concern in some parts of the constituency like Bandlaguda, Ghouse Nagar, Salala Barkas and other places is of drinking water. Here residents have to shell out anywhere between `1,500-`3,000 for procuring a 20-litre can of water.
Despite these factors, the lack of prominent Opposition face in Chandrayangutta limits people’s options, many said. The notable candidates, BJP’s Syed Shehzadi and Congress’ Esa bin Obaid Misri are unproven in big time politics and residents are sceptical of them. “You need someone strong to be the voice of minority in the government for pushing through government orders, rallying our cause. As of now Akbaruddin does a little bit of it. I am unsure about the others,” the lawyer said.