HYDERABAD: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday ruled out an alliance with any party, including the ruling Congress, in Telangana for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“It looks like those people who are saying that we have an alliance in Telangana are confused. But we are clear that there is no alliance with any other party,” the four-time Hyderabad MP asserted.
Recently, Congress leader Feroz Khan, who unsuccessfully contested from Nampally in the recent Assembly elections, indicated that friendship was forged between the AIMIM and the grand old party. The ruling Congress is yet to announce its candidate for the Hyderabad segment.
Speaking to media persons after campaigning in the Bahadurpura area on the second day of his electioneering, the AIMIM chief extended his party’s support to the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu in the elections. “AIADMK has refused to ally with BJP and has committed to never allying with it in the future. It has also assured that it will oppose CAA, NPR & NRC. Therefore, AIMIM extends its support to AIADMK in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Our alliance will also continue for the Assembly elections,” Owaisi said in a post on X.
Dismissing his rival BJP candidate K Madhavi Latha’s allegation of over six lakh bogus and duplicate votes, the AIMIM MP termed it saffron party’s propaganda.
“Every year in January, the process of inclusion of names (of voters) is conducted, and then the list comes from the Election Commission of India (ECI). I am not the head of the ECI. After that, everyone is allotted time to raise objections. Once that time gets over, the final voter list is released, and then the addition and deletion list comes. What role do I have to play in that? It means you are criticising the work of the ECI. With such talk, these people are dishonouring the voters of Hyderabad who belong to different backgrounds,” Owaisi maintained.
About Madhavi’s alleged remarks on his attire and identity, the AIMIM supremo termed it a hate towards his existence.
“But the people of Hyderabad will let love prevail, not hate. Those who are against harmony will be defeated by the public in elections.”
About the Indian government releasing a travel advisory amid rising tension between Iran and Israel, Owaisi alleged that it was the Narendra Modi-led Union government with whose facilitation the workers were allowed to go there, and demanded that the government bring them back immediately.
When asked about the development project in the Old City, Owaisi said that the AIMIM will continue to keep developing Hyderabad. “The AIMIM will never compromise on development,” he added.