The party makes a dent in the traditional Muslim vote bank of Congress-NCP.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) which had made impressive debut in the last year’s assembly polls by winning 2 seats has managed to win three seats in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) 2015 election. The party had fielded seven candidates in the KDMC polls. The good performance of AIMIM in this poll has boasted the party’s morale and it is now looking forward to contest the 2017 BMC election. Muslims make up nearly 20 per cent of Mumbai’s population and would play a decisive role in a number of wards. All major parties like Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress and NCP are eyeing the Mumbai civic body election. The party is also keen to expand its foothold in other areas of Maharashtra. AIMIM is striving to achieve “political empowerment” of the Muslims and Dalits by expanding the party’s base throughout the country in the coming years.
According to the results declared by the election commission the MIM candidates Tanzeela Ayaz Maulvi and Shakeela Khan have been declared winner. While Tanzeela Maulvi contested the polls from Gowind Wadi Ward no 34, Shakeela Khan won from the Kachore. Ward no 45. Instead of pitching its candidates on all seats the AIMIM contested only on seven seats. A concentrated campaign directed against both right-wing Shiv Sena and BJP and centrists Congress and NCP, along with an appealing approach towards Dalits is yielding the party positive results. The electoral performance of AIMIM grabs eyeball since the veteran coalition of Congress-NCP could secure only six seats, whereas a party which barely had its organizational presence in Mumbai has won 4.
Zamir Surme, AIMIM, President Mumbra said, “Initially we were reluctant to contest polls but our party activists had forced us to contest election in order to understand whether AIMIM can make any impact in the KDMC polls. We have received good response from voters. Those candidates who had lost the election have promised us that they will continue to work for the party’s development.”
Waris Pathan, AIMIM, MLA said, “The Congress-NCP has abused Muslim voters. Till now people used to vote for AIMIM by hearing Akbaruddin or Asaduddin Owaisi speeches. But now even the educated people like lawyers, doctors and teachers are also supporting our party. There has been lack of educational institutions in Kalyan. We had approached people to give us an opportunity to serve them and results are for everyone to see.”
AIMIM Chief, Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted and congratulated party workers and posted “The government had banned my and Akbaruddin’s entry in Kalyan. Despite this the AIMIM had managed to win 3 seats which is a major achievement for us.”
AIMIM also had put up an impressive show in the Aurangabad civic polls held in April by winning 26 seats by luring Dalit and Muslim voters. On the other hand, the Congress could on only manage to secure 10 seats. The AIMIM has been eating into the traditional Muslim vote bank of Congress-NCP. The rise of AIMIM has already become a cause of concern for Congress-NCP.
On the other hand, the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party in the KDMC polls by winning 52 of the 122 seats. The BJP stood second with 42 and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) secured nine seats. Afternoon Voice had already carried the story Shiv Sena will sweep KDMC polls in the issue dated 2nd November, 2015. The contest, fought separately by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena, will impact the future of alliance which rules Maharashtra.
