Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Monday said it will field a candidate for the Vandre East Assembly election, making it a three-way contest between the Congress, the Shiv Sena, and the AIMIM which is making inroads into Muslim votebank in Maharashtra.
AIMIM MLA from Mumbai Adv Waris Pathan told reporters “Our leader Mr Owaisi held a meeting today to discuss the political situation and decided to field a candidate. Our candidate would be Siraj Khan.” Though Shiv Sena MLA Bala Sawant had retained the seat for the second time in October assembly elections, Mr. Khan had polled 23,976 votes in the constituency which includes Muslim slum pockets.
In a three-way contest between Congress leader Narayan Rane, Sena’s Trupti Sawant, widow of the Sena MLA who died in January, the AIMIM candidate could divide the Muslim votes, and make it tougher for Rane to win.
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Mr Rane, who suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Shiv Sena in his home constituency of Kudal in coastal Konkan in October 2014, is trying to create a base in suburban Bandra where he lives.
To dissuade other parties from fielding candidates and mustering their support, Rane met NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday, and sought his blessings. Mr. Rane’s MLA son Nitesh Rane called on MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Monday to seek his support. Mr. Thackeray, however, ruled out any support to any party. The MNS is yet to declare its candidate.
Nitesh Rane accused AIMIM of being a stooge of the Sena-BJP. “MIM has once again proved that it's BJP n Sena 's B team!! Helping them to divide secular votes. Muslim Community is smart enuf! Wait n Watch!” Rane tweeted.
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Sena candidate Trupti Sawant on Monday filed her nomination in a strong show of strength. “To defeat Narayan Rane, who betrayed Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, would be the true homage to our leader. We are confident we will defeat Rane once again,” Sena leader and Rane’s arch-rival Vaibhav Naik told reporters. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his family are registered voters in Vandre East.
After partial success in Nanded Municipal Corporation elections, Hyderabad-based AIMIM made its debut in Maharashtra assembly in 2014 polls. Two of its candidates Adv Waris Pathan from Mumbai, and journalist-turned-politician Imtiaz Jaleel from Aurangabad won from their constituencies. AIMIM is also eyeing further success and posing a challenge to the Congress in Aurangabad civic elections scheduled next month.