First-timer breaches Aqueel’s fort, drubs his brother

BHOPAL: An independent candidate from ward number 8 delivered defeat to Amir Aqueel, brother of Bhopal North MLA Arif Aqueel in the area considered an impregnable fort of Congress legislator. Fighting polls on symbol of hockey and ball, Mohammed Saud won against political heavyweight’s brother Amir by 54 votes, here on Wednesday, the reverberations of which were felt across the walled city.
Saud, 25-year-old, was contesting elections for the first time. After the result was announced, Amir called for a re-counting. To his embarrassment, it went in favour of Saud, who polled 50 more votes.
All throughout the counting, Aqueel supporters were hopeful that Amir would walk away with a win. But, if polling indications are to be believed, places like Noor-Mahal and Shaheed Nagar, areas of staunch Aqueel supporters, Saud garnered most votes.
For some, Saud’s victory was not unexpected. “Arrogance of Amir cost him the election. If things do not change, it would affect prospects of Arif in future,” said a Congress supporter.
The final blow for Aqueel supporters was quite unexpected. Saud garnered about 250 votes, in Muftian stronghold near Moti Masjid and that ensured his win.
Earlier in January, he was roughed up by Amir and his supporters according to a complaint filed with Koh-e-Fiza police. In the same constituency, BJP leader Arif Beig’s son Noor-ul-Hasan Beig finished third.
Mohammed Zaheer brother of chairman of the minority department of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Mohammed Saleem and late Communist stalwart Khan Shakir Ali Khan’s grandson Arif Ali Khan are other two big losers from this ward.
This ward has remained stronghold of Congress for over two decades and the interesting fact is that the mayoral candidate of the grand old party Kailash Mishra used to win from this ward for last four terms.