Mumbai: The results of elections in the 29 municipal corporations show the emergence of Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) as a strong contender in state politics. The party has done much better than Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Samajwadi Party, winning 121 seats. It secured eight seats in Mumbai and became the second largest party in Sambhaji Nagar and Malegaon.
AIMIM registered its best performance in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, where it won 33 out of 113 seats, and emerged as the second-largest party. BJP secured 58 seats, Shiv Sena 12, and Shiv Sena (UBT) six seats. In the last election, AIMIM had won 25 seats. It had also won one Lok Sabha seat in 2019.
The other city where the party is set to dominate the political landscape is Malegaon, where it won 20 out of 84 seats. AIMIM finished second, strengthening its presence, while Shiv Sena secured 18 seats.
In this city, dominated by the Muslim community, Islam Party emerged as the single largest party with 35 seats. Samajwadi Party (SP) won six seats, and the Congress managed to win only three seats.
AIMIM bagged 14 seats in Nanded, 11 in Amravati and 10 seats in Dhule civic body. In Solapur and Mumbai, the party won eight seats each, seven in Nagpur, five in Thane, three in Akola, and two seats each in Ahilyanagar and Jalna. It has also opened its account in Chandrapur by winning one seat.
{{/usCountry}}AIMIM bagged 14 seats in Nanded, 11 in Amravati and 10 seats in Dhule civic body. In Solapur and Mumbai, the party won eight seats each, seven in Nagpur, five in Thane, three in Akola, and two seats each in Ahilyanagar and Jalna. It has also opened its account in Chandrapur by winning one seat.
{{/usCountry}}The party’s state president, Imtiaz Jaleel, who is also a former Member of Parliament from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, said that their hard work paid off. “This time, we had planned our strategy meticulously. The selection of candidates played a pivotal role, especially in Chhatrapati Sambhaiji Nagar, where we fielded common workers,” Jaleel told Hindustan Times. In Mumbai, the party won seats from Muslim-dominated areas such as Shivaji Nagar, Govandi, Mankhurd and Anushakti Nagar, in ward numbers 134, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 143, and 145.
Jaleel pointed out that this time AIMIM also fielded non-Muslim candidates. “While BJP and Shiv Sena were busy labelling themselves as communal parties, we chose to give candidature to members from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Hindu OBCs,” he said.