MIM, MBT gear up for wresting Chandrayangutta Assembly Constituency

Chandrayangutta: Even as the other political parties are yet to finalise their list of candidates, the MIM (Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen) has already started campaign to reclaim the Chandrayangutta constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections. Besides MIM, Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT), its arch rival is striving to regain the lost ground. It has formed an alliance with Bahujan Left Front (BLF) hoping to garner votes from Backward Castes and Dalits, besides the Muslims.

The Chandrayangutta Assembly constituency comprises areas - Barkas, Chandrayangutta, Uppuguda, Riyasat Nagar, Lalitha Nagar, Jangammet and Rein Bazar. The electorate of 2,63,350 (as per 2014) has remained a stronghold of the MIM ever since Akbaruddin Owaisi won in 1999 over MBT founder Md Amanullah Khan. Earlier, Amanullah Khan, served the constituency for five terms, four times as MIM candidate and last one as MBT’s, following breaking up with MIM. Late Khayam Khan, Amanullah’s eldest son contested thrice against Akbaruddin in 2004, 2009 and 2014 and stood as a runner up. In 2004 and 2009 it was a close contest between the two, but Akbaruddin was able to wrestle the constituency with a huge margin of about 60,000 votes.

According to locals, being brother of the MIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi and son of late Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, no contestant from other political party can bring him down. His fiery hate-speeches which sometimes have landed him in trouble and pushed him behind bars continue to raise tempers of youth who get mesmerised and swear allegiance to him, which translates into votes at the time of elections. Another factor continues in his favour is the sympathy generated following attack on him in 2011, even though the main accused Mohammed Pahelwan was acquitted in 2017.

Meanwhile the MBT, which recently partnered with the BLF is aiming to regain the lost ground of 1999. Even though the party’s current president Majidullah Khan Farhat, along with BLF leaders, has already started public meetings in areas like Riyasatnagar, it is believed that it would be an uphill task for the combination like this to take on Akbaruddin’s influence in the upcoming elections.

The alliance is likely to declare its candidates shortly and has targeted the votes of not only SC and ST, but also BCs besides Muslims. Nalla Surya Prakash, the BLF chairman feels that social justice can be attained with the re-alignment of oppressed and suppressed sections. MBT which started its campaign on October 30 in Chandrayangutta constituency as part of election campaign began door-to-door campaign in the recent days. Majeedullah began his padayatra in Chandrayangutta constituency from Edi Bazar division.

Congress and TRS are the two other political parties which are yet to be seen active in the constituency. INTUC leader, Hafez Abdul Sattar and noted body builder Esa Misri are amongst the top contenders fighting on Congress’ Assembly ticket from the constituency. TRS leader M Seetharam Reddy who had contested in 2014 is likely to be provided ticket once again. But given the fact that TRS and MIM have reached a political understanding, the pink party may not influence the voters in the constituency.