Malakpet constituency: AIMIM still has an edge over resurgent BJP, TDP and Cong

♦ The incumbent three-time MLA, Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala, who might again fight in the segment and try his luck for fourth time. Political analysts opine that Balala has consolidated his place in the constituency by virtue of his accessibility to people and in promptly redressing their grievances

Hyderabad: The Malakpet Assembly constituency had always presented an interesting political scenario in each election. The BJP, TDP and Congress are all strong in the segment; the AIMIM each time consolidates its vote share to grab the seat from strong rival contenders.

The segment includes mixed population. Voters are educated, employees and middle-class, who have been very flexible in their choice of the candidate. Before delimitation in 2009, both BJP, Congress and TDP had strong cadres in the area.

The incumbent three-time MLA, Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala, who might again fight in the segment and try his luck for the fourth time. Political analysts opine that Balala has consolidated his place in the constituency by virtue of his accessibility to people and in promptly redressing their grievances.

One analyst feels in the upcoming election too, the MIM would face a tough challenge from both TDP and BJP. The constituency was traditionally a BJP seat. Later, in the Congress wave of 2004, the seat was grabbed by Malreddy Ranga Reddy of Congress and later by the MIM, which had an understanding with the Congress and later with the TRS.

The Majlis was unsuccessful in 1989 and 1994 and lost to INC and TDP respectively. The BRS has fielded its candidate, Teegala Ajith Reddy, in a friendly fight with the MIM.

In the past, the BJP fielded Ale Jeetendra and Mohammed Muzaffar Ali Khan fought from TDP. In 2014, the saffron party stood second and gave a tough competition to MIM. In 2018 Muzaffar Khan stood second with some 30,000 (24%) of votes.

The Mehdavi Muslim community vote share and those from Seemandhra region could play a key role in determining the fate of the winner in the election. Mohd Amanullah Khan from the Mehdavi community won from Chandrayangutta. He formed the MIM breakaway outfit MBT.

However, the announcement of IT tower in Malakpet remains lip-service by the ruling party and the government. The foundation for the tower is yet to be laid. This has raised concerns among voters, especially youth, as they started to believe that development of IT hubs and job opportunities seem to be focused on districts where the ruling party is likely to gain electoral advantage, rather than addressing the needs of the Old City. Race Club, Mahbub Mansion Market, Asman Garh Palace and Monsieur Raymond’s Tomb, last but not the least, the Palmetum, a botanical garden developed by GHMC--all these are famous landmarks in Malakpet.