If we win in Hyderabad segment and ensure TRS wins 16 seats, then Telangana will benefit: Asaduddin Owaisi

If Congress gets 120, then Telangana wins, Jagan wins — it would be a win-win situation for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as a State.
Asaduddin Owaisi pictured during meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday | Sathya Keerthi
Asaduddin Owaisi pictured during meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday | Sathya Keerthi

HYDERABAD: “The game is on”. This is how All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi responded when asked about Telangana Rashtra Samithi and YSRCP’s role in the Lok Sabha elections if Congress win 120 seats, indicating that the TRS would not shy away from supporting the national party in forming a government.

The Hyderabad MP who was speaking at a town-hall meeting here in the city on Sunday, said, “If they cross 120 seats, the game is on. If they have 150, then they become the next chowkidaar. If Congress gets 120, then Telangana wins, Jagan wins — it would be a win-win situation for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as a State.

“What Naidu couldn’t do, I am sure Jagan would do for AP. Telangana as a new State had a great start. But now if the situation you mentioned arises, then sky will be the limit for Telangana. And god willing, that is what would happen,” he said while adding the regional parties would play a bigger role in Centre. Owaisi, who would be looking to win the Hyderabad seat for the fourth consecutive time, gave a peek into his election strategy.

He said, “Part of it is to win the Hyderabad seat, and also ensure that the 16 seats are won by TRS. Once you have 17 Parliament seats (from Telangana), then the State would benefit. “Election is like a battle. Yo cannot do with a fixed strategy. You have to re-strategise. For example, in the last Assembly election, I was telling my legislators to not start attacking his holiness Nara Chandra Babu Naidu immeidately. Wait for them to strike. Immediately when they started attacking -- now go!, “Owaisi said.

He said that he was waiting for the Siasat Urdu newspaper’s owner to announce his nomination for the Hyderabad seat, and also wished “good luck” for the yet-to-be-announced candidates from BJP and Congress from the constituency.

He also took on PM Narendra Modi, whom he referred to as Supreme Leader during the nearly-two-hour interaction with youngsters at the GB Birla auditorium. “The ‘achhe din’ are over”, he said claiming that the “Supreme Leader” did not do much work in the last five years.  

Owaisi hits out at Fleming

Owaisi also accused British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming of “meddling” into sovereign affairs and Ministry of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to take “note” of the situation. On Twitter, Owaisi posted a screenshot of tweet by Fleming and said, “@Andrew007Uk Pl remember you’re not Queen’s Governor General, but a diplomat. Request @SushmaSwaraj to take note, he cannot tell us how to manage our affairs anymore Having lived in UK, I know it’s not exactly a utopia. Maybe focus on preventing more Greenfells from happening?”

The reaction comes after Fleming, referring to a dilapidated Qutub Shahi tomb, tweeted, “In Balapur I spotted a building @googlemaps describes as a historic monument named MAqbaras. @NayonikaRoy and I went off road for a closer look and were dismayed to find this historic site doubles as a rubbish tip. Not a happy site is it @tstourism?”

‘Grateful AP, TS going  for polls together’

Praising the ECI for announcing Aprill 11 as the date for election in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said it was important that polls in the two states were held together in light of the alleged data-breach by TDP . “I am very grateful to the ECI. It is very important that AP and TS are going into polls together.”

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