ISLAM party poised to take control of Malegaon civic body

The coalition, though, is still short of three seats to reach the majority mark – 43 – for which they have reached out to the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majli-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) as well as the Congress

MUMBAI: After the emergence of the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM) party as the single largest party in the Malegaon Municipal Corporation, the civic body is likely to be headed by the political outfit, which would also elect a mayor from its ranks. Its alliance partner, the Samajwadi Party (SP), is seeking the deputy mayor’s position.

ISLAM party poised to take control of Malegaon civic body

The coalition, though, is still short of three seats to reach the majority mark – 43 – for which they have reached out to the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majli-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) as well as the Congress.

However, Malegaon has a history of springing surprises. In its first election after being upgraded as a municipal corporation in 2002, the Nihal Ahmed-led Janata Dal (Secular) emerged as the single largest party in the civic polls in May, securing 35 of the then 72 seats. Ahmed was elected mayor as the SP, which had made a strong debut by winning 12 seats, backed his candidature along with two independents and one member each of the Republican Party of India (RPI) and the Muslim League.

Five years later, the political landscape shifted again. Teesra Mahaz (third front), headed by cleric Mufti Mohammad Ismail, entered the fray and emerged as the single largest party by winning 28 of the 80 seats in the civic polls. The front led the municipal corporation by tying up with the Congress.

Malegaon is a Muslim-majority city, with the community accounting for around 78% of the population, a factor that plays a pivotal role in shaping its political dynamics.

In the subsequent two civic elections, the Congress emerged as the single largest party, winning 25 seats in 2012 and 28 in 2017. At the time, the party was led by Asif Shaikh, who later won the Malegaon Central assembly seat in 2014. In the 2009 assembly elections, Mufti Ismail, who had floated the Teesra Mahaz, won from the Malegaon Central assembly constituency on a Jan Surajya Party ticket. By 2012, however, Teesra Mahaz’s strength declined to 19 seats and in 2014 Mufti lost the assembly election to Congress’s Asif Shaikh.

Till 2022, the civic body was controlled by the Congress and in part by the NCP, when its leader Haji Mohammad Ibrahim was elected mayor for two and half years between 2014 and 2017.

Political equations shifted once again after Asif Shaikh quit the Congress, following a brief stint in the NCP, and floated the ISLAM party. Shaikh said the people of Malegaon were fed up with Mufti and his style of functioning.

“He (Mufti Ismail) is a complete failure when it comes to development work in the constituency. Hence we have received a tremendous response from the people,” Shaikh told Hindustan Times.

In the recent civic polls, Shaikh’s ISLAM party has won 35 seats and its alliance partner, the SP, five seats. The AIMIM locally headed by Mufti Ismail, has won 21 seats, Shiv Sena 18, Congress 3 and BJP 2 seats.

Shaikh also said they are in talks with the Congress and AIMIM for their support. “Our alliance with the Congress has almost been finalised and we are in the process of chalking out details,” he added.

Mufti Ismail said the party leadership has allowed them to take a decision on extending support to the ISLAM-SP alliance from the outside. “Following a decision taken by the party leadership, we will decide if they still require our external support or not,” said Ismail.