MIM–BJP face-off limited to only a few prabhags, yet polarisation continues!

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

As soon as the battle for the municipal corporation elections has begun, a war of words has erupted between the AIMIM and the BJP. Leaders of the AIMIM have claimed that their main contest is with the BJP, while BJP leaders have also projected AIMIM as their principal opponent. In reality, however, AIMIM is contesting mainly in Muslim-dominated areas, where the BJP does not have a single candidate. Candidates from the two parties are directly facing each other in only one or two prabhags.

In 2015, AIMIM contested the municipal corporation elections for the first time. In that election, both parties were quite successful in polarising Hindu and Muslim votes. Contesting for the first time, AIMIM won 24 seats. The Shiv Sena–BJP alliance fought the election together, yet the BJP had to be content with just 23 seats. This time, all parties are testing their fortunes independently. Compared to the previous election, there is speculation over whether Hindu votes will be more fragmented this year.

There is discussion that, during prabhag delimitation, a total of six prabhags were created in a manner favourable to AIMIM. These include Prabhag Nos. 3, 5, 6, 12, 13 and 14. The BJP has not fielded candidates in these areas. In some places, candidates from the Uddhav Sena, Congress and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi are present. In such a situation, how can AIMIM’s contest be with the BJP? This question is being raised.

Even if there is no direct contest…

AIMIM state president Imtiaz Jaleel said, “Our contest is with the BJP. Even if we are not facing them directly in a prabhag, there is ideological opposition. There is also competition over whose candidates will be elected in greater numbers. Much depends on whose strike rate is higher.”

In many prabhags, they are up against us

“In prabhags like Nos. 8 and 11, and in 7 to 8 places overall, AIMIM candidates are directly contesting against us. Our fight is with them alone. This is a communal party, and we are making efforts to uproot it completely. They had opposed the name Sambhajinagar,” said the BJP leader and OBC welfare minister Atul Save.