On the face of it, it looks much the same. But take a walk and you can’t miss the subtle changes. Those visiting Darussalam, the Majlis headquarters, are in for a surprise. The old office has added not just a fresh coat of paint but also a new floor.
The whole thing fits perfectly with the Majlis’ plans to expand its base in the State. Perhaps, giving an inkling of things to come, the party has gone in for a huge conference hall on the new floor. The interior rooms sport a corporate look with plush furnishings.
As elections near, footfalls increase by the day at Darussalam. To escape the hustle and bustle, and the heat, Majlis president Asaduddin Owaisi slips into the air-conditioned comfort of the ante room to chalk out poll strategies and finalise candidates. But he prefers to sit in the same old chair and table his late father Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi used to occupy while meeting people.
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“I can’t give up this seat,” says Mr. Asaduddin, who is sentimentally attached to the old workstation.
The new construction and changes at the party office are said to be the brainwave of his younger sibling, Akbaruddin Owaisi. The latter took a personal interest in the design and decking up of the office. The conference hall too is his idea.
“Yeh sab hamare shahzade ka kaam hai,” remarks Mr. Asaduddin, making a fond reference to his brother. He, however, refuses to divulge how much the expansion plans have cost the party.
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