HYDERABAD: The recent public remarks made by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi have ignited a political discourse in the State, drawing varied opinions from the political spectrum.
During his public meetings in Adilabad and Sangareddy districts, Owaisi launched a scathing attack on the BRS, urging the ruling party not to take their friendly relations for granted. While the statements issued by the MIM chief have created divergent views among political circles, the BJP believes that the MIM is indirectly aiding the BRS in the upcoming elections. In response, BRS leaders highlighted their history of fielding candidates against MIM in the 2018 Assembly elections.
It is worth mentioning that although the MIM and the BRS have maintained a tacit understanding over the past nine years, there is no official tie-up or seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties. However, the BRS previously described the MIM as a ‘friendly’ party when the latter supported a MIM candidate in the MLC elections held earlier this year.
Given the perceived ‘friendly’ relations between the MIM and the BJP, Owaisi’s critical remarks against the BRS carry significant weight. Nevertheless, analysts speculate that this may be a strategic move rather than a true display of enmity.
A BJP leader suggested that if the public perceives the BRS and the MIM as allies, it could potentially benefit the saffron party in the upcoming Assembly elections, hence the ‘subterfuge’. He pointed out previous instances of ‘friendly contests’ between the BRS and MIM in Assembly segments such as Charminar, Chandrayangutta, and Yakutpura during the 2018 elections.
MIM, BRS have never fielded a joint candidate
Meanwhile, a BRS leader refuted the BJP’s claims, asserting that the control over the alliance rested firmly in the hands of BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao. He cited past electoral victories of the BRS against the MIM in Assembly and GHMC elections, underscoring the party’s autonomy. Notably, the MIM and the BRS have never fielded joint candidates in any election.
Analysts have drawn parallels between the MIM’s bid to secure the Muslim vote bank in Telangana, akin to the Congress’s success in the Karnataka elections, which enabled them to regain power in the state. By contesting in multiple segments, it is believed that the MIM aims to prevent a shift in Muslim support from the BRS to Congress outside of Hyderabad.
While BJP leaders criticised the architectural design of the new Secretariat, comparing it to the “Taj Mahal,” the MIM came to the BRS’s defence, stating that the design was inspired by temples. Amidst these dynamics, the prevailing perception suggests that the MIM’s remarks against the BRS may be a strategic manoeuvre rather than a display of animosity.