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The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has begun the process of seeking feedback from grassroots level in order to identify reasons for the low-polling percentage and performance in the recent elections, where it retained its seven seats.
All eyes in the run-up to the elections, and on polling day were on the Yakutpura and Nampally Assembly constituencies given that they were tightly-contested. The leadership of parties – the AIMIM, the Congress and the Majlis Bachao Tehreek – spent considerable time and effort campaigning in these constituencies. While the AIMIM’s winning margin in Nampally was 2,037 votes, in Yakutpura it was 878 votes.
“The leadership has taken note of the election developments and as our party president Asaduddin Owaisi has stated, MIM will introspect and identify what has happened to set things right,” a source said. The celebrations were kept low-key.
Ear to the ground
Days after the results were announced, the party’s elected candidates began meeting their constituents. While Jaffar Hussain Meraj, who won from Yakutpura, met community leaders, Majid Hussain, who won from Nampally, began reviewing civic works. Those in the know said that this was done so as to have an ear to the ground.
AIMIM president and Hyderabad parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi, at a recent press conference, linked the low polling percentage to heavy deployment of security personnel at booths, which were deemed ‘sensitive’.
He stated that road closures and other security measures inconvenienced the public. “Whatever weaknesses that we have, we are introspecting. We will work hard in constituencies that have recorded low polling percentages. It is obvious that we would have some shortcomings. We will certainly work on those. We will go and meet people. Booth-wise data is available. We will analyse this. And ahead of the Parliament elections, I am sure the polling percentage will increase,” he said.
