Hyderabad: With Parliamentary elections round the corner and minority votes having a say in deciding the results in some of the Lok Sabha constituencies of Telangana, political parties here are likely to woo Muslims and community leaders via iftar parties to connect with the electorate.
The month of Ramzan will begin most probably from March 12, and around the same time the political campaign will pick up for the Lok Sabha elections. The ruling Congress, and opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) have good patronage among Muslim community and candidates from all three parties will attempt to woo minority votes.
‘Dawat-e-Iftar’
According to leaders from across party lines, candidates and local leaders from the first day of Ramzan are planning to organize ‘Dawat-e-Iftar’ and continue with the program throughout Ramzan. A Muslim Congress leader said their party came to power partly because of minority votes and have high expectations in Lok Sabha elections.
“Ramzan month is the time when mass gatherings are seen at mosques and iftar programs. Our party leaders will visit the Masjid and organize iftar programs to reach out to the people,” he said.
The AIMIM party leaders every year organize ‘iftar’ programs during Ramzan in all its constituencies and elsewhere as well. In this year’s Ramzan month, it is likely that Iftar get-togethers at residental colonies will be organized on a grand scale by local leaders and corporators.
Hyderabad seat and old city
In fact, the BRS except in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency has a good following among minority dominated pockets in Telangana. BRS leaders will not miss the opportunity to make full use of Ramzan as well and will use Iftar programmes to talk about schemes launched during its governments earlier to connect to the voters.
In the old city of Hyderabad, the Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT), which recently revived itself fully during the 2023 Assembly elections, plan to organize Iftar programs in different localities of Hyderabad as well. The party will focus on downtrodden localities where the poor people don’t usually have a good meal for Iftar in Hyderabd. Oarty sympathizers and followers are expected to fund and organize the iftar program.
Moreover, local leaders of different political parties are also expected to distribute groceries among people. In Ramzan, the affluent usually provide groceries to the poor and destitute and political parties through their networks are also expected to reach out to poor and needy with ration kits.
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