Assaduddin Owaisi all set to kick off Mumbai civic poll drive

MUMBAI: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen ( AIMIM) President Assaduddin Owaisi is all set to kick start the campaign for the Mumbai civic elections.

Politcial parties, especially the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, would be keeping a close watch on Owaisi’s rally in Nagpada as the two would be directly affected by the AIMIM fielding candidates. According to AIMIM leaders, the party plans to field 40-50 candidates in the 227-member civic house, the election for which is likely to be held in February.

The party has already readied its campaign strategy. While Assaduddin will kick start party campaign, younger brother Akbaruddin will take over for the rest of it. “As of now the elder brother is campaigning but duties would be divided. Akbaruddin would be campaigning for Mumbai and other civic polls in the state and Assaduddin will campaign in UP polls,” said an AIMIM leader in Maharashtra.

The AIMIM has made significant inroads over the past few years in Maharashtra. It has made everyone take notice when it made inroads in Aurangabad and Solapur districts.

While many called it a flash in the pan, in 2014, the party had two MLAs elected to the Maharahtra assembly.

Congress leaders are already feeling the pinch. They are nervous that AIMIM is taking away their traditional Muslim pockets of vote. The SP, that once ate into Congress minority vote bank, is also seeing its vote bank gravitating towards AIMIM. The BJP and the Shiv Sena will also keep an eye on the events as division of minority votes between Congress and AIMIM would benefit them.