BENGALURU: The performance of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the recent urban local body elections seems to be a cause of concern for Congress and JDS as they are concerned over the splitting of minority votes, that will benefit the BJP in future. AIMIM managed to win four seats, just one less than the JDS’ five in Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi and Belagavi corporation polls.
While Congress and JDS leaders do not recognise AIMIM as a big force in Karnataka, they do admit that division of even a small number of votes will make a difference in closely contested seats. “AIMIM secures 2,000-3,000 votes and that helps the BJP,” said a senior Congress leader, who also blamed the JDS for dividing minority votes. “It played spoilsport in the ULB elections, but that may not happen in the Assembly polls. However, the party will discuss both AIMIM and the JDS splitting minority votes,” the leader said.
JDS leader YSV Datta said they need to be cautious about the division of secular votes. KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed said there is an understanding between the BJP and AIMIM to divide votes. “It is BJP’s B-team,” he said. Congress and JDS may have to rework their election strategies, keeping the AIMIM factor in mind. But the AIMIM, buoyed by the response at Asaduddin Owaisi’s rallies and the results, is already planning to contest the upcoming zilla and taluk panchayat elections as well as 2023 Assembly polls.
“We will contest over 50 seats in the Assembly elections. Many said we will not win a single seat in the ULB elections, but we managed to win three seats in Hubballi-Dharwad and lost in three seats with a narrow margin. We also won one seat in Belagavi,” said AIMIM state president Usman Gani.
Gani dismissed the allegations that it is BJP’s B-team or dividing minority votes.AIMIM failed to make a mark in Kalaburagi, indicating that it is not an easy task for the party to woo minority voters in all seats, especially if the Congress is seen as a strong force to take on BJP.