Hyderabad: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said he had not made up his mind over a post-poll alliance with the TRS, which now needs outside support for the Mayoral posts.
Addressing the media at his residence in Shastripuram after the GHMC results, Owaisi said the party will decide on contesting or supporting the candidature for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor at a meeting with MLAs, MLCs, newly elected corporators and party leaders on Satrday.
However, he indirectly indicated support to the TRS by lauding the leadership of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.
Owaisi said Chandrashekar Rao was a big political name of South India and the TRS a formidable political force. “It represents the regional sentiments. I know KCR from when he was the lone MLA from his party,” the MIM chief said.
Owaisi said, “The results were contrary to our expectations and the BJP's victory is circumstantial and will not continue in future. It is up to the TRS to review the reasons for its poor performance. If it corrects itself, KCR will pose a threat to other political parties in the region.”
The MIM chief pointed out that the party had won 44 seats while fielding 51 candidates this time against 60 in 2016. “This has proved to be the best striking rate of a political party,” Owaisi said.
“In the Hyderabad Parliamentary constituency, we fielded 34 candidates and retained 33 seats. In Chevella constituency, we retained two seats and won nine out of 12 wards from Secunderabad constituency,” he pointed out adding that the party could not win three seats in the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency. He said he toured 650 km on his bike and addressed 65 poll meetings.
The MIM chief said the party had won all seats where home minister Amit Shah, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP president J.P. Nadda took part in the campaign in Hyderabad constituency. “They were talking about a surgical strike on the Old City but the voters have done a democratic strike against the BJP. Who they termed Jinnah, the people of the Old City gave a message that ‘jeena marna usi ke saath (living and ending with him)’.
