Maharashtra civic polls: How AIMIM battled internal turmoil to score big

Despite internal dissent, ticket-related rebellions, sharp criticism, and even the resignation of key office bearers in protest against decisions taken by party state president and former MP Syed Imtiaz Jaleel over ticket distribution, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) delivered a markedly improved performance in the recent civic elections.

The party won 33 seats in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation and secured a total of 126 seats across Maharashtra. This represented a significant improvement in Sambhajinagar, where AIMIM had won 24 seats in the 2015 municipal corporation polls.

In addition to its strong showing in Sambhajinagar, AIMIM also posted gains in several urban pockets across the state.


The party has won 21 seats in Malegaon, 14 in Nanded Waghala, 12 in Amravati, 10 in Dhule, 8 in Solapur, and eight in Mumbai. It also secured six seats in Nagpur, three in Akola, two each in Ahilyanagar and Jalna, and five seats in Thane.

What did AIMIM do?

AIMIM' Imtiaz Jaleel outlined the party's political approach in the civic bodies, stating that AIMIM would support BJP on initiatives that benefit citizens while firmly opposing decisions that go against the public interest.

The party’s performance assumed added significance amid internal turmoil triggered after Jaleel dropped 21 of the 24 councillors who had won from Sambhajinagar in 2015. The decision sparked protests and dramatic scenes by disgruntled leaders, prompting AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother, MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, to step in and defuse the situation.

In Sambhajinagar, the Congress suffered a near-total rout, losing 70 of the 71 seats it contested. The party’s sole winner was Maleka Habib Qureshi, who managed to retain her seat after a close contest against an AIMIM candidate. Congress had secured 11 seats in the 2015 elections, and the latest debacle has been widely attributed to poor planning and its failure to project itself as a credible alternative to communal polarisation.

How did AIMIM battled internal dissent?

Political turbulence in the old city spilled onto the streets and into police stations as the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) grappled with intense internal dissent after denying tickets to more than 20 sitting corporators. In several localities, photographs of AIMIM state president and former MP Syed Imtiaz Jaleel were torn and trampled by his own loyalists, underscoring the depth of resentment within the party.

The anger played out dramatically, with eggs thrown at Jaleel, his SUV allegedly attacked, and attempts reportedly made to drag him out and assault him. Police were forced to resort to a mild lathi charge to disperse rival groups. An FIR was registered at Jinsi Police Station against Kaleem Qureshi, his brother Habib, and around 60 others following clashes between supporters of Qureshi and Jaleel. In this case, the police themselves were the complainants. Two members of the Qureshi family, including Kaleem, are Congress candidates.

A counter FIR was later filed by Habib’s wife, Maleka, at City Chowk Police Station against AIMIM candidate Feroz Khan and his family members.

To contain the fallout, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother, MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, camped extensively in the city. Asaduddin Owaisi led four foot marches over two days, covering areas where party candidates were contesting. Both leaders repeatedly invoked “ittehad” (unity) in their speeches, cautioning supporters against undermining the political ground the party had built beyond Hyderabad due to internal infighting.