HUBBALLI: Even as political parties in the state are gearing up for the forthcoming local body elections, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Asaduddin Owaisi, is spreading its wings in north Karnataka.
The Hyderabad-based political party has already been active in Maharashtra, Bihar and other parts of the country. It is now attempting to rapidly expand its activities in the northern part of Karnataka.
Party president Owaisi’s announcement that he will visit Hubballi before Ramzan has boosted the confidence of the party activists in northern Karnataka.
Latifkhan Pathan, general secretary, state unit of AIMIM, said the party already has a base in the state and is known to the people of Hyderabad-Karnataka districts. “The party is focusing on strengthening the cadre base at Kalaburgi, Raichur, Bidar and other place of Hyderabad-Karnataka along with the districts of northern Karnataka,” he said.
“To build the party at cadre level, the drive for membership has started in each district targeting one lakh membership. The idea is to strengthen the party to contest elections from panchayat to Parliament. People are fed up with the false promises made by successive governments since Independence,” he added.
“We are in the process of preparing and strengthening the party to contest in forthcoming elections for Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation. Party is capable of competing against the both the national parties. Youths and many community heads are joining the party with intention to strengthen it. Owaisi has agreed to visit Hubballi before the holy month of Ramzan. The political scenario will change after his visit to Hubballi for sure,” Said Najeer Ahemad Honyal, president, Hubballi-Dharwad.
“After AIMIM started spreading its wings here, Congress and other secular parties have started to give respect and recognise the minorities, Dalits and backward community leaders in their respective parties. If they fail to consider their party workers, many people will jump to AIMIM before elections,” said another party functionary.