Hyderabad: With the All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) clearly stating that it will not contest from the Nizamabad (Urban) constituency, the Muslim community there is eagerly awaiting for the Congress to announce its candidate.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had given the ticket to sitting MLA Bigala Ganesh Gupta, who will contest for the third time, and Bhartiya Janata Party has given the mandate to Dhanpal Suryanaryana Gupta.
In the last Assembly election as well, AIMIM had not fielded its candidate from the Nizamabad (Urban) constituency and asked its cadre to support BRS (then TRS) candidate Ganesh.
Ganesh emerged victorious, securing 71,896 votes while Congress’ Tahir Bin Hamdan got 46,055 votes. Laxmi Narayana Yendala of Bharatiya Janata Party secured 24,192.
This constituency has a total of number of 1,98,093 registered voters. This includes 98,224 male and 99,829 female voters. The number of voters from the minority communities,1.2 lakh, is the deciding factor.
The AIMIM leaders of Nizamabad unit met party president Asaduddin Owaisi at Darussalam – the party headquarters – on Saturday and requested the party contest from Nizamabad (Urban). After long deliberations the party decided against contesting from the seat.
The minorities in Nizamabad (Urban) constituency reportedly want to support a Muslim candidate, having alleged bitter experiences with the BRS MLA in the past. All eyes are now set on the Congress, who are keen on fielding a Muslim candidate.
The Congress may either field former Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir from the constituency or Taher Bin Hamdan, a businessman who contested last elections unsuccessfully.
On the other hand, former mayor of Nizamabad city Sanjay, Nizamabad city Congress president Kesha Venu, and former TPCC secretary Narala Ratnakar are also aspiring to get a party ticket from the constituency. However, the changed political equations have favoured Shabbir Ali’s candidature from Nizamabad Urban constituency, sources said.
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