While the Congress released its first list of 55 candidates on Sunday, and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi handed B-Forms to as many as 51 candidates on the same day, all eyes are on the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) list. Observers are also keeping a watch over whether two of its veteran legislators, Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri and Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, would be retained.
Mr. Quadri has been a legislator since 2004, first from the Charminar Assembly segment, and in 2018 from Yakutpura, a time when the AIMIM effected an interchange of candidates from these two constituencies. In the last election, he polled 69,595 votes, which translated into a vote share of 49.07%, helping him win with a margin of nearly 50,000 votes.
While the Yakutpura legislator is seen as a staunch party loyalist, and someone who is easily accessible to the public, party sources said that over the past few months, he has been grappling with health issues. “The decision to field candidates solely rests within the hands of the party leadership. Pasha enjoys the trust of the public, and is always available, on the phone and otherwise. But there has been speculation about whether he will be fielded for the upcoming polls given certain health issues,” the source said.
Speculations in connection with Charminar legislator Mr. Khan’s candidature were witnessed ahead of the 2018 polls, given his seniority as a public representative. According to a party source, Mr. Khan, who is currently abroad and is likely to return soon, has remained a legislator since 1994 when Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s father Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi led the party.
While Mr. Khan has been representing the Charminar constituency, those in the know said that he wields significant influence in the Yakutpura assembly segment, from where he was MLA in the past, as well. The party is likely to factor in this aspect while announcing its list of candidates.
In the last elections, Mr. Khan secured 53.36% of over 1 lakh polled votes. He defeated his nearest rival, T.Uma Mahendra from the Bharatiya Janata Party, by over 32,000 votes.
While the AIMIM chief is keeping his cards close to his chest, and declined to share information of how many seats the party would contest in the upcoming elections, sources said there is a possibility that the first list of candidates could be released in less than a week.
Typically, the AIMIM seeks to ensure that there is representation from all quarters of the Muslim community, including the majority Sunni community as well as Shia and Mehdavi communities, as well as those who claim ethnic Arab lineage, sources said. A reflection of this can be seen at the party’s public meetings where it has on stage a galaxy of speakers and religious leaders belonging to different sects, and schools of thought.
