Mysuru: For more than four decades,
Narasimharaja segment has remained a veritable bastion of the Sait family. Between 1967 and 2002, the late
Azeez Sait represented the segment for nearly 30 years, while his son, who was elected to the assembly from the constituency following his death in ’02, has retained the seat since.
Regardless of the banner he fought under, Azeez appeared invincible at NR segment. While he fought as a Sanghata Socialist Party candidate in 1967, it was under the banner of the
Congress (I) that he would contest the elections five years later. In 1983, Azeez went on the hustings as a member of the Janata Party, and the people still reposed their unwavering their loyalty in their leader. The only occasion he tasted defeat in the assembly election from
NR segment was in 1994, when owing to a technicality involving the B-form, he was forced to contest as an Independent, and lost the seat to BJP’s Maruthi Rao Pawar by an agonizing margin of 1,451 votes.
In 1984, when Azeez contested the Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket from Dharwad, the seat was vacated for Mukthar Unnisa Begum, whose candidature had the unflinching support of the former. Between the two of them, the father-son duo of Azeez and Tanveer hasve represented the segment for more than four decades. However, the family’s vice-like grip on the segment showed signs of loosening in 2013, when the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) candidate gave Tanveer a strong fight, and finished a close second.
Moreover, Ayub Khan, who calls Azeez his Godfather, is also vying for the Congress ticket from the segment, claiming that the voters in the segment were disappointed with Tanveer, and were strongly favouring his candidature.
Among his other contributions, Azeez opened a hospital exclusively for labourers, and beedi factory workers, which was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He also created a new residential colony for beedi factory workers, and helped generate employment for youngsters in the segment. Although a Mysurean, Azeez was a pan-Karnataka politician – a fact that was illustrated by his victory in the Parliamentary elections in 1985 from Dharwad.
A Congress activist from the segment admitted that Tanveer was banking heavily on his father’s popularity and contributions to the segment.
On the other hand, Congress corporator from the segment Showkat Pasha told TOI that the Congress would fight the upcoming polls on the plank of development, with the many pro-people and welfare schemes introduced by the Siddaramaiah-led government as examples. “We are banking on the welfare schemes of the government that have benefitted the constituency a lot,” said Pasha.
SDPI, on the other hand, is hoping to bring an end to what it sees as a dynastic legacy in the segment. Pointing out that the NR constituency was underdeveloped, SDPI candidate Abdul Majid KH said, “The incumbent MLA has not done much work. Even in 2013, people were upset and supported me in large numbers. The segment has a very high population density. It does not have a single first grade college, and though there are six primary health centres, there is not a single paediatrician. Ashraya houses have not been distributed, and government funds have not been utilised fully for the welfare of the voters. How long will people tolerate family politics without development?”
Tanveer’s detractors within the segment point to the lack of developments, barring improvement of a few roads, and relocation of the government offices and construction of a new deputy commissioner’s office in the constituency. “Tanveer remains aloof to voters, including local leaders. These are seen as major setbacks,” his critics said.
Despite repeated efforts, Tanveer did not respond to TOI’s queries.
