The denial of permission to the Majlis president Asaduddin Owaisi, and his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi, to tour parts of Maharashtra has come as a shot in the arm for the party which has set its sights on the neighbouring State. With the Assembly elections in the State round the corner, the Maharashtra government has unwittingly benefited the party politically, sources say.
The Majlis is keen on contesting the forthcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra as it fancies its chances to be very good with the Congress-NCP alliance in doldrums. The Owaisi brothers have been regularly visiting parts of the State and have set up party units in the Marathwada region. In this background the decision of Maharashtra administration to stop the Hyderabad MP from visiting Malegon and his brother MLA from going to Mumbra has enraged Majlis supporters.
Though a police notice was served on him denying entry into Mumbra, Mr. Akbaruddin left for Aurangabad on Monday night. Party legislator Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri, and others are accompanying him. He will be attending ‘Iftar’ programmes at Aurangabad and Mumbai. He hopes the police would rescind its order and allow him to visit Mumbra where an Iftar dinner is arranged on Wednesday evening.
The Majlis plans to contest from Muslim and Dalit dominated segments of the Marathwada region, which was part of the erstwhile Nizam state. There are at least 70 segments in Maharashtra where the minority population has a significant presence. The Majlis already has a good foothold in Maharashtra where it has bagged 11 seats in the Nanded Municipal Corporation in 2012. The party thinks it has winnable chances from areas like Parbhani, Aurangabad, Nanded, Beed, Malegaon, Thane and Bhiwandi in the coming Assembly polls.
“The Majlis has emerged as the voice of the underprivileged. Minorities and Dalits from across the country are looking to it for guidance,” says party MLC Syed Aminul Hasan Jafri.
In fact the Majlis had decided to contest the general elections but dropped the idea so as not to cause ‘division of secular votes’ to the benefit of BJP, it is said.
