The AIMIM expansion in question 

AIMIM president and MP Asaduddin Owaisi throughout the 1st mational conference of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen at Mahape in Navi Mumbai on February 25, 2023.
| Picture Credit score: PTI

On February 25, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had its first-ever two-day nationwide convention. The transfer got here days forward of the sixty fifth anniversary of what the AIMIM calls the occasion’s revival, the place it resolved to embark on a nationwide growth. The Nationwide Conference in Mumbai entailed closed-door deliberations with its two members of Parliament, over 1,000 workplace bearers and corporators.

On the ultimate day, the AIMIM launched an inventory of 16 resolutions, together with its “nationwide agenda”, that seeks to develop the occasion’s presence throughout the nation, and to proceed the legacy of Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, a former parliamentarian and sitting Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi’s father, and “previous management”, which invariably consists of the latter’s grandfather, Abdul Wahed Owaisi, who’s credited with the “revival” of the occasion. 

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The sequence of occasions — the Nationwide Conference adopted by the revival day  scheduled on March 2 — bears significance. The occasion, whereas holding onto its politics formed by Sultan Salahuddin, who started his political innings as a corporator to legislator and at last a Member of Parliament, all alongside laying the AIMIM’s groundwork, is wanting into the long run; a celebration which is way extra organised, considers itself to be talking about not just for Muslims but additionally different marginalised communities, together with Dalits; and maybe in the long term, a change within the occasion’s standing to that of a nationwide occasion.

“The AIMIM additionally resolves to make use of native, state and nationwide elections as a way to deliver the minorities and different marginalised teams into the mainstream,” an excerpt from the listing of resolutions learn. As of now, the occasion has 9 legislators from Telangana, two from Maharashtra and one from Bihar.

Other than the Meeting polls, the occasion has been focussing on native our bodies as nicely in lots of States. For example, it has registered victories in native physique polls in Gujarat, reminiscent of in Modasa the place it sits within the opposition. The occasion has elected representatives in our bodies in Godhra and Bharouch. Although these could seem as comparatively smaller victories, partymen consider that they do depend as constructing blocks of a bigger edifice. A presence must be constructed from the bottom up, they are saying. Other than creating management from these States, the first face can be Mr. Owaisi’s. The occasion has shaped its committees in over a dozen States, together with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. 

The Hyderabad parliamentarian, on many events, has asserted {that a} management from inside the States must be created, all of the whereas assuring those that he would stand with them. Mr. Owaisi is nicely conscious of the caste and  baradari dynamics among the many Muslim communities of States the place these identities are pronounced. He has spoken in opposition to the oppression of the  pasmanda Muslims at a time when there are sections within the Muslim group who keep caste doesn’t exist both in Islam, or amongst Muslims, or each. 

However there are challenges that the occasion faces. The primary, and oft-reiterated allegation is that of cleaving the Muslim vote leading to a setback to events who stand in opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP).

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Stung by these allegations, Mr. Owaisi has sought to refute them repeatedly by citing polling figures which present in any other case, or by stating that the occasion has merely not contested in sure constituencies the place different events have misplaced. Regardless of this, the notion battle remains to be underway and seems to indicate no indicators of a ceasefire.

The occasion’s plans for its growth in Telangana, which is prone to go to polls this December, proceed to stay unclear. AIMIM flooring chief Akbaruddin Owaisi had triggered a political flutter within the Telangana Legislative Meeting throughout an trade with Municipal Administration and City Growth Minister Okay.T. Ramarao, the place he retorted that he would seek advice from the occasion president Asaduddin Owaisi and subject candidates on 50 seats. The occasion president, alternatively, remained non-committal.

So, will the AIMIM’s plans to extend its presence throughout the nation embody an aggressive growth on its house turf? With Mr. Owaisi remaining tight-lipped, solely time will inform.