Hyderabad: With eyes on the upcoming state polls, Congress is making efforts to strengthen its base in the Old City by luring leaders of different political parties and from various backgrounds into its fold.
The party has garnered support from Mohd Ayub Khan, alias Ayub Pahelwan, a local influential figure in the Old City. Ayub, along with his sons Shahbaz Khan and Arbaz Khan, have now joined the party. Moreover, Shahbaz Khan submitted his application at Gandhi Bhavan seeking Congress ticket from Charminar constituency.
Noted businessman from Old City, Ali Bin Ibrahim Masqati, was also recently inducted into the party fold on Sunday during the CWC (Congress Working Committee) meeting in Hyderabad. He had been associated with the Telugu Desam Party for long before switching over to Congress. After joining Congress, Ali Masqati started asking other Muslim leaders to join the party as well and mounted attacks on the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, saying Muslim leaders don’t have any respect in BRS.
Another prominent leader who is likely to join Congress ranks is TDP leader and former corporator Muzaffar Ali Khan. He contested from Malakpet in 2018 polls and lost. He received 29,769 votes.
Congress leaders from minority community are upbeat with the new joinings. Most of their campaigning banks on the six guarantees announced by Congress for Telangana people if it comes to power in the State. They feel that 85 percent of Telangana residents will benefit from it.
Party leaders expect that more people will join Congress after the Ganesh festival. Formal joining events will be held in different districts.
Congress leaders are expecting that some AIMIM leaders will also join the party soon. Notably, two former corporators — Khaja Bilal and Mohd Ghouse — had earlier joined the Congress after ditching the AIMIM. However, the duo later went back to AIMIM.
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