Bengaluru: Hyderabad-based All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) are preparing to foray into next year’s assembly elections in Karnataka.
The move could spell trouble for Congress and JD(S).
While MIM plans to contest some seats in Kalyana Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is eyeing constituencies across the state barring Kittur Karnataka.
The Times of India, with reference to Osman Ghani Humnabad, state president, AIMIM reported that MIM will decide on a poll strategy and the number of seats to contest at a meeting with party Chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad later this week.
It must be recalled that in 2018, AIMIM had not directly contest seats but instead supported JD(S). According to the party, it has a support base in seven districts in Hyderabad Karnataka — now called Kalyana Karnataka. Syed Aminul Hasan Jafri, senior AIMIM functionary and Telangana MLC claimed that they have a significant presence in Kittur Karnataka region too, especially in segments bordering Maharashtra.
SDPI is slightly better placed compared to AIMIM. Having a significant presence in several urban local bodies, the party has a cumulative 34 seats in city municipalities. Afsar Kudlipet, SDPI general secretary revealed that the party plans to contest at least 100 seats this time. They will field candidates in all other regions, except Kittur Karnataka.
Meanwhile, Congress and JD(S) are concerned since the above mentioned parties could split the minority vote. Fearing that this would play right into the hands of BJP, Saleem Ahmed, KPCC working president, is quoted to have said, “If these parties are sincere about politics, they should not venture into this misadventure as they would end up helping BJP.”
Echoing his thoughts, CM Ibrahim, who recently joined JD(S) as its state president, also warned these parties against BJP, saying that the saffron party could use them as tools to achieve its own ends.
