Lucknow: Blowing the poll bugle with a rally in Bahraich, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party for failing to address issues related to minorities. In the same breath, Owaisi added that AIMIM was willing to join hands with parties seeking to defeat the BJP.
Mixed Response to Alliance Offer
Owaisi's 'alliance' move received mixed responses from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. Principal general secretary of SP and Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal Yadav said any political formation that can take on the BJP will be welcomed. “Whoever defeats the BJP is welcome,” he said, responding to a media query over AIMIM's alliance move.
Congress MP Imran Masood said Owaisi represents a political party (AIMIM) and follows the tenets which his party represents and maintains that he stands against communalism. “One cannot oppose communalism on one end and strengthen the same communalism on the other end,” Imran said in an apparent reference to a hardline stand that AIMIM adopts on certain issues.
“People from different walks of life who want to defeat the BJP are coming out in support of Rahul Gandhi who is the only hope against communalism and divisive forces at the moment,” Imran told TOI, adding the decision on AIMIM joining the INDIA bloc would rest with the party's central leadership.
Owaisi's Stance on Alliance
Owaisi's alliance call came while showcasing AIMIM's readiness to join hands with political formations to challenge the BJP. “The responsibility of opposing the BJP government must not be heaped solely on Muslims,” Owaisi said, adding: “Agar koi BJP ko rokna chahta hai, AIMIM unka saath dene ko taiyyar hai (If anyone wants to stop the BJP, AIMIM is ready to align with them).”
The AIMIM chief said that any such alliance would rest on dignified and meaningful political participation. He said active participation in decision making would be a must for any such alliance rather than dormant support.
Attack on Samajwadi Party
Owaisi, who was addressing a rally at SP bastion of Matera in Bahraich, attacked the sitting MLA for not doing enough for the region. He questioned why the region did not have a hospital despite people repeatedly electing SP from the constituency.
“Samajwadi Party leaders have started saying that Owaisi's arrival benefits the BJP,” he said, claiming that actually it was the SP which was serving BJP's goals. He questioned SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's silence over TMC MPs siding with the BJP. He also attacked Akhilesh for deploying a battery of MPs to campaign against AIMIM candidates in the Seemanchal region during the assembly elections in Bihar.
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