The representation of the fairer sex in the MIM has seen more than a two-fold increase with the local body polls paving the way for several women councillors. As many as 31 women got elected on the Majlis ticket in the municipal elections, results of which were announced the other day. Two of them – Mohammadi Begum and Safia Begum from Tandur - are practising advocates.
Interestingly, in Nirmal municipality, a couple got elected on Majlis tickets. Rafi Ahmed Qureshi won from ward 18 while his wife, Nazia Parveen, emerged victorious from ward 17.
The maximum of four women councillors each are elected from Sangareddy, Bhainsa and Tandur municipalities. They are followed by three each from Mahabubnagar, Nizamabad, Kortla and Adilabad. Others elected are from Bodhan, Adoni (2 each), Nalgonda, Vikarabad, Karimnagar (1 each). This tally is set to increase as the Majlis has bagged 20 MPTC seats wherein quite a few are women candidates.
The Majlis already has 14 corporators in the GHMC. With the recent additions, the strength of women has shot up in the party, which until recently was considered an all-male domain. The increased representation of women in the party affairs is seen as a significant step towards the emancipation of Muslim women. The Majlis president, Asaduddin Owaisi, has already announced the formation of a women’s wing.
The party’s Chintal Basti corporator, Yasmeen Sultana, is tipped to be the convenor and the co-opted corporator, Ayesha Rubina, joint convenor of the ‘shoba-e-khwateen’. The Majlis’ decision to field a large number of women candidates in the local body polls is part of its strategy to expand the presence of the fairer sex in the party. The party wants to be ready to face the challenge when 50 per cent of seats are reserved for women in the coming civic body poll, it is said.
The Majlis is expected to give proper shape to the women’s wing and chalk out its job chart after the declaration of the results of the general election on Friday.
