BENGALURU: Even as Congress is trying to play the ‘soft Hindutva’ — or ‘Inclusive Hindutva’ — card in the state ahead of the Assembly elections, its strong Muslim voter base could take a hit with Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) planning to make a big foray in Karnataka’s electoral politics.
AIMIM has decided to field its candidates in about 60 constituencies in the forthcoming assembly elections spread over Kalaburgi, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Yadagir, Ballari, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Gadag, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Bengaluru Urban and Benglaluru Rural districts, which have a significant Muslim population. “We are giving special thrust in 25 to 30 seats where we see high possibility of victory. This includes Shivajinagar, Pulakeshinagar and Chamarajpet constituencies in Bengaluru city,” Usman Ghani, state president of AIMIM told The New Indian Express.
Responding to the view that AIMIM’s entry could split the Muslim votes and indirectly benefit BJP, Ghani said, “Muslims are not indebted to Congress. The party has exploited the community as its vote bank for the last 70 years and has not done enough for the welfare of the community. Congress has never groomed a single Muslim leader so far. AIMIM is dedicated to fight for the cause of Muslims.”
With the state expecting to witness a stiff fight between Congress and BJP and pollsters predicting a hung Assembly, a breach in Congress’s Muslim vote base can have an impact on the grand old party’s fortunes in many constituencies in the closely contested battle.
RALLIES not allowed
AIMIM national president Asaduddin Owaisi is set to lead a high-voltage campaign in some of the districts including Bengaluru Urban, Kalaburgi, Vijayapura, Raichur and Koppal. The first of these rallies will be held in Vijayapura on January 21.
However the district administration has decided not to allow the rally apprehending breach of peace and communal harmony. “We have challenged the district adminstraion’s decision in the court,” Ghani told The New Indian Express.