As the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency gears up for its crucial by-polls, Hyderabad’s prominent parliamentarian, Asaduddin Owaisi, launched a scathing attack on the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the late former legislator Maganti Gopinath. He accused them of having done very little for the area during their tenure, emphatically urging voters to instead elect a “young, local” candidate who can genuinely serve the constituency.
Speaking in Shaikpet ward, a part of the Jubilee Hills constituency represented by an AIMIM corporator, Mr. Owaisi, who also serves as the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president, delivered a passionate appeal.
“I implore all of you to make a wise choice in the upcoming by-election. Cast your vote for a local, energetic individual who is committed to action, and help make that candidate successful,” Mr. Owaisi declared.
The AIMIM chief stressed that his criticism of the BRS and Mr. Gopinath was not merely for political gain, but rather to highlight the stark realities on the ground. He pointed out that despite the BRS and Mr. Gopinath holding power for a decade, they had shown a noticeable lack of interest in the development of Jubilee Hills.
“I am not saying this to score cheap political points. Jubilee Hills truly deserved to be transformed into a model constituency. Yet, interest was consistently shown elsewhere, as you all are aware,” he asserted, adding bluntly that the previous legislator “accomplished no meaningful work.”
Mr. Owaisi further claimed that he personally had to address various civic issues directly with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner and other officials. He mentioned having submitted a comprehensive list of pending works to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who assured him that these would be promptly addressed. The AIMIM, he stated, has already formulated a detailed plan to enhance civic infrastructure across the constituency.
Turning his attention to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) electoral efforts, Owaisi appealed to the public to actively work towards diminishing their political presence in the area. “We must not allow the BJP to secure a victory here,” he urged.
Historically, in the 2014 elections, AIMIM put forward Naveen Yadav, a resident of the Jubilee Hills assembly segment and son of Chinna Srisailam Yadav, who also had ties with the party. However, for the 2023 assembly elections, the party’s choice was Shaikpet corporator Mohammed Farazuddin, who competed against Mr. Gopinath and Congress’ Mohammed Azharuddin — the latter having recently been appointed to the Telangana State Legislative Council.
The Jubilee Hills by-poll has become a focal point for various parties, all vying for the significant Muslim vote bank in the area. Notably, just last week, BRS leader and former Information Technology Minister K.T. Ramarao held a meeting with popular Muslim preacher Maulana Ahmed Naqshbandi and his followers in Rehmat Nagar, a key part of the Jubilee Hills constituency. During this gathering, Mr. Rao sharply criticized the Congress, accusing them of complacency and taking the Muslim community for granted.