HYDERABAD: As the notification for the Jubilee Hills byelection will be issued on Monday, all eyes are on the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) over whether it will enter the fray or not.
The question gains significance as the ruling Congress continues to describe the AIMIM as a “friendly party,” and may not contest in the election, notwithstanding the fact that it is contesting nearly 100 seats in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
Party insiders and political observers say the AIMIM’s decision — either to contest or abstain — could shape the poll outcome in Jubilee Hills, where it enjoys a steady support base.
The Congress has fielded Naveen Yadav, who had contested on an AIMIM ticket in the 2014 Assembly elections. The BJP, gearing up for a high-pitched campaign, is expected to question the Congress over Yadav’s past association with the AIMIM.
Although the AIMIM has not won Jubilee Hills in recent elections, its influence remains notable. In 2014, the then 31-year-old Naveen Yadav, contesting as an AIMIM candidate, polled 41,656 votes (25.19%), finishing second behind the TDP’s Maganti Gopinath, who secured 50,898 votes (30.78%). The AIMIM-backed campaign then pushed the Congress, BJP, and TRS (now BRS) candidates to the sidelines.
Analysts believe that if the AIMIM skips the bypoll, it may be read as tacit support for Naveen Yadav, given the party’s visible presence in the constituency and its past performances.
Congress sources claim AIMIM leaders have been participating in official programmes alongside ruling party representatives since the seat fell vacant.
“They haven’t formally announced support, but they may not field a candidate in this election,” a senior Congress leader told TNIE on condition of anonymity.
However, the AIMIM has not issued any official statement on whether it would contest the byelection or skip it.
Jubilee Hills has around 3.99 lakh voters, of whom nearly 1.3 lakh are Muslims — a demographic segment where the AIMIM holds significant sway. The party’s decision on whether it will contest or stay out could affect the outcome of the byelection.
