Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is gearing up for the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra and exploring its options for a winning formula, with party leaders saying that any alliances will be decided at the local level in due course.
The Supreme Court, on May 6, directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission to notify the much-delayed elections to local bodies within four weeks and complete polling within four months. Hence, all the parties have started preparing their strategies for the polls.
The AIMIM too, in its state executive meeting held in Mumbai on Thursday, decided to contest all upcoming polls in the state. Imtiaz Jaleel, AIMIM state president, said that they are pondering over options available at their disposal for any alliance at the local level.
“We are assessing our strength in various areas. We will fight all elections. Alliance will be decided at the local level. We will not go in alliance with Mahayuti. Soon we will have a party convention in Maharashtra which will be attended by Asaduddin Owaisi. We are making our present in the state stronger, and you will see it in coming days,” Jaleel said.
In the local body polls, the most high-stakes battle will be for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with all major contenders, including the BJP-led Mahayuti and the rival Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and NCP (Sharad Pawar) will be vying for Asia’s richest civic body.
Sources told India Today that the AIMIM is looking to contest around 60 out of 227 seats in the BMC.
While speaking to India Today, Imtiaz Jaleel also praised his party chief Owaisi for his recent salvo against Pakistan in light of the tensions with India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
“Asaduddin Owaisi is being praised on social media. He went to Pakistan 12 years ago and condemned them on their soil. But people are recognising him now,” Jaleel said, adding that Operation Sindoor is being politicised.
“Those who went to fight are soldiers not from the BJP or the Congress,” he said.
Meanwhile, another senior AIMIM leader, Waris Pathan, reacted to the India-Pakistan conflict and slammed Indian celebrities for not coming out in support of our armed forces.
“Mahira Khan (Pakistani actress) is supporting her country. Where are our celebrities? We call them gems. We revere them. What are they doing when it comes to supporting the country?” Pathan questioned.
“It’s not about the BJP, the Congress or the AIMIM. It’s about our country and the celebrities are silent,” he added.