Former Indian cricket captain and Telangana minister Mohammad Azharuddin on Monday voiced strong optimism about the Congress party's prospects in the upcoming Mumbai civic body elections. Campaigning alongside Rajya Sabha member Imran Pratapgarhi, Azharuddin led a vibrant roadshow in the historic Mumbadevi area of south Mumbai, rallying support for Congress candidates.
Campaign Focus on Unity and Development
Addressing the media during the campaign trail, Azharuddin stated that the political atmosphere appears highly favourable for a Congress resurgence. He emphasized that divisive issues based on religion or community, such as the ongoing hijab controversy, have no place in a healthy democracy. "Such issues don't even deserve a response," the former cricketer asserted, steering the conversation towards development and inclusive governance.
Echoing this sentiment, Imran Pratapgarhi launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He accused the BJP of employing any means necessary to secure electoral wins and alleged that the party and the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are engaged in a "sham fight" to split votes. "The Congress is the only party that takes every section along. Mumbaikars understand the politics of hate," Pratapgarhi added.
Responding to BJP's Mayor Remarks
The campaign also addressed provocative statements from BJP leaders who claimed that the next Mayor of Mumbai would be a Hindu and a Maharashtrian. Responding to this, Pratapgarhi, known as an Urdu poet-turned-politician, shifted the focus from identity to character and capability. He stated that the new mayor should simply be a good human being committed to public welfare, regardless of religious or regional background.
Electoral Strategy and Stakes
The Congress party has strategically decided to contest 143 out of the 227 seats in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The remaining constituencies have been allocated to its allies under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) umbrella, including the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, the Republican Socialist Party (RSP), and the Republican Party of India (Gavai) faction.
The voting for these high-stakes polls, which control India's richest civic body, is scheduled for January 15, with the counting of votes to take place the following day.
The upcoming election is crucial for all parties involved. In the 2017 BMC election, the BJP made significant inroads into what was traditionally a Shiv Sena stronghold, winning 82 seats and finishing just two seats behind the then-undivided Shiv Sena. The Congress was pushed to a distant third place with only 31 seats. The undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) managed just 9 and 7 seats respectively.
This election is seen as a critical test for the Congress's revival efforts in Maharashtra's capital and a key battleground ahead of future state and national polls.
