AMIM plans to contest 6 to 7 assembly seats in Vidarbha

NAGPUR: After breaking its alliance with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), Asadudin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Itehade-e-Muslimeen (AMIM) is planning to contest polls from 6 to 7 assembly constituencies in Vidarbha, including two in Nagpur. Apart from Muslims, the party also plans to field Dalit candidates, which will include one in Nagpur.
Sources said that the party may contests 40 seats throughout the state hoping to win around 15. The party has two MLAs in the state assembly. In Nagpur, AMIM is expected to contest from Central Nagpur which has a predominant Muslim population and North Nagpur, the city’s Dalit pocket.
In Central Nagpur, it has been learnt that Shakeel Patel, a senior party functionary and a chartered accountant by profession, may be the candidate. A final decision has not been taken though, but the names are expected to be out soon. The selection process for the North Nagpur seat is under way. The party may field a candidate from the Dalit community. A couple of names have been mooted for the seat, said sources.
However, AMIM is seeking better prospects in Amravati division or Western Vidarbha, where it plans to field 5 to 6 candidates. The candidates will be spread in districts like Amravati, Buldhana Akola, Yavatmal and Washim.
This is because the party already has a larger presence in different local bodies of the districts in Western Vidarbha which indicates better prospects.
Sources say that AMIM contesting the seats is seen as Congress’ loss, eventually helping the BJP. AMIM’s candidates can divide the Mulsim and Dalit votes which form the major base for the Congress party.
However, party sources said that in Vidarbha, AMIM candidates will be only contesting in the seats where BJP or Sena has a sitting MLA. The candidates will not be contesting in the constituencies where Congress has an MLA, said a source.
The major issues to be raised during campaigning will be mob lynching and violence against minorities. AMIM candidates will be also targeting the ruling party on the economic slowdown, lack of jobs and education for minorities.
“The major trust, however, would be against religious violence in the name of cow protection and other similar reasons,” said a source not wishing to be named.
“Interviews for selecting the candidates will be held soon by AMIM. Imtiyaz Jaleel, the member of parliament from Aurangabad will be coming down to the city for the interaction. The first election rally will coincide with this visit, with plans of Owaisi also turning up for canvassing,” the source said.