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UP polls: Besides Muslims, AIMIM aims to win over OBCs, dalits
The AIMIM has till now announced candidates on 76 assembly seats across Uttar Pradesh. It has given tickets to 61 Muslim candidates and 15 Hindus belonging to the other backward class (OBC), dalits and upper castes
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The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, is spreading its footprint across Uttar Pradesh after launching the Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha with Jan Adhikari Party, led by Babu Singh Kushwaha, and Bharat Mukti Morcha, led by Vaman Meshram on January 22.
The AIMIM has till now announced candidates on 76 assembly seats across Uttar Pradesh. It has given tickets to 61 Muslim candidates and 15 Hindus belonging to the other backward class (OBC), dalits and upper castes. Majority of the candidates have been fielded in West UP and Rohilkhand region going to polls in the first two phases on February 10 and 14.
To spread the base of his party in Muslim majority districts of West UP, the AIMIM chief had organised intensive election campaigning in the region. And to make inroads into the support base of Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Owaisi raised the issue of the share of Muslims in the political power. He alleged that SP and BSP had used the Muslim community as vote bank and, after forming governments through their support, both the parties sidelined the Muslims.
After forming the alliance with Kushwaha and Meshram, the AIMIM chief is playing the Muslim-Dalit-OBC card in public meetings and raising issues of social justice and upliftment of weaker sections of society.
Owaisi had announced that if the Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha won the assembly elections, it would have two chief ministers – a Dalit and an OBC leader, besides three deputy CMs -- one of whom will be a Muslim. The Morcha has projected Babu Singh Kushwaha, who has influence over Maurya, Kushwaha, Shakya and Saini communities, as its chief minister candidate.
To shed the tag of a Muslim party, AIMIM announced to field OBC, dalits and upper caste Hindu candidates on various seats. It also announced to field candidates in Pratapgarh, Barabanki, Balrampur, Kaushambi, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Sultanpur, Prayagraj, Forizabad, Lakhimpur Kheri, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Kushinagar, Kannauj and Kanpur in which SP and BSP have a hold over the Muslim community voters.
AIMIM state unit president Shaukat Ali said the party has spread its organization in majority of UP districts. “Candidates who win the elections will raise the issues of Muslims and weaker sections on the floor of the legislative assembly. AIMIM is getting support from all communities, irrespective of caste or religion,” he said.
To mobilize support of Muslims, OBCs and dalits, the alliance partners -- Owaisi, Kushwaha and Meshram -- addressed a series of virtual public meetings in various constituencies. After relaxation in the election campaign norms by the Election Commission, the trio is addressing public meetings in West UP.
Meanwhile, the Peace Party, led by Dr Mohammad Ayub, and Rashtriya Ulama Council, led by Maulana Aamir Rashadi, who launched the United Democratic Alliance (UAD), have announced support AIMIM candidates on seats where UAD has not fielded its candidate.
The Uttar Pradesh assembly elections for 403 seats will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. Counting of votes will take place on March 10.
