AIMIM Corporator Reveals Congress Never Contacted Party After Chandrapur Civic Polls
In a significant political development, AIMIM corporator Azhar Shaikh stated on Tuesday that his party did not support the Congress in the Chandrapur mayoral election. Shaikh emphasized that the Congress never approached or took AIMIM into confidence following the civic poll results. This decision ultimately proved pivotal in altering the outcome of the tightly contested election.
Decisive Abstention Leads to BJP's Narrow Victory
Shaikh's abstention, combined with the absence of two Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) corporators, was decisive in securing a one-vote victory for the BJP over the Congress-led bloc. Speaking to the media after the results, Shaikh detailed the lack of communication from Congress leaders, despite AIMIM's presence in the fractured House.
"After the results on January 16, not a single Congress leader contacted us. There was no phone call, no message, no meeting. They never felt it necessary to speak to our representatives or our community leaders," Shaikh asserted. He added that AIMIM had repeatedly conveyed through intermediaries that it was open to talks but was bluntly told its support was not required.
Congress's Dismissive Attitude and Internal Conflicts
Shaikh explained that whenever AIMIM members tried to reach out, the response was consistently dismissive, with Congress stating that AIMIM was not needed. "If they don't need us, then why should we stand with them?" he questioned. He rejected suggestions that AIMIM's decision amounted to helping the BJP, clarifying that AIMIM has always opposed the BJP and will continue to do so.
However, Shaikh pointed to the ground reality where Congress showed no respect or seriousness. "After discussing the situation with senior leaders, we decided to remain cautious and abstain," he said. He also highlighted internal conflicts within the Congress as a contributing factor, noting that infighting among their leaders was visible and hindered their ability to decide whom to speak to or what commitments to make.
This episode underscores the critical importance of coalition-building and communication in local politics, where small parties can sway outcomes in closely fought elections.
