AIMIM explores Dalit allies to contest UP panchayat polls

‘We will surely contest the panchayat polls in UP. It will be our first foray in state’s electoral politics and we expect good response from public. It will give us a platform to convey our issues to the masses. It may sound disturbing to several parties in UP, but in a democratic country you cannot stop anyone from contesting polls,” Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP told The Indian Express.

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Owaisi, who has been repeatedly denied permission to hold public rallies in state, claimed that by winning a few seats his party “will surprise many political veterans”.

The Hyderabad MP has asked Shaukat Ali, the state chief of AIMIM, to visit Delhi once the ongoing parliament session ends to finalise the strategy. “We are not boasting and making tall claims. We will contest where we see even a small opportunity. Districts will be shortlisted and we will finalise on seats and candidates in consultation with our local leaders,” he added.

Owaisi said AIMIM is open to tie-up with local Dalit outfits. “I am not naming any party but we are exploring the option of forging alliance with Dalit outfits. We want to have a formidable Dalit-Muslim combination in UP. Our six Dalit candidates won polls in Aurangabad, which reflects that they are our natural ally,” he said.

Though panchayat elections are not contested on party symbol, still political parties have lot at stake as their ground-level workers are actively involved in the process.

“We will tour the state and hold meetings, let us see how a vindictive Samajwadi Party government reacts to our meetings,” Owaisi added.

In UP, AIMIM has been denied permission to hold rallies nearly half a dozen times by state government on grounds of vitiating communal harmony. Its second line of leaders had held a meeting in Maharajganj district which attracted few thousand people.

As per Owaisi, AIMIM won 26 seats in Aurangabad civic body polls and has support of two rebel candidates and an independent who won taking the tally to 29.