The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : ‘Improving party strength my goal’

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Wednesday, Oct 08, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

‘Improving party strength my goal’

Special Correspondent

Asaduddin Owaisi, new president of MIM, talks of the challenges ahead

— Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

On hot Seat: Asaduddin Owaisi, MP, talking to his younger brother Akbaruddin Owaisi, at Darussalam, the party headquarters in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Hyderabad: It is business as usual at Dar-us-Salam. A large number of persons, including burqa-clad women, hang around the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) headquarters. Their complaints are promptly attended to and letters of recommendation issued. The methodical pace of activity doesn’t suggest there is a change of guard.

But there is. After a gap of 33 years the mantle of leadership has fallen onto the youthful shoulders of Asaduddin Owaisi. The three days of mourning over, the Hyderabad MP has taken over the reins of the party at a time when it is faced with a tough challenge.

“It is a huge burden, a crown of thorns,” he says referring to the party’s presidentship thrust on him. “But it is also a honour and I would try to do justice to the post,” remarks Mr. Asaduddin sitting gingerly on the chair occupied by his father, Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, till his death.

The ‘vacuum’ created by the senior Owaisi was difficult to fill. But it didn’t mean that the Majlis would get weakened. “Salar left the party in a strong position. And I would like to make it more stronger,” he says.

There would be no departure from the policies pursued by his father. Only he wants to give a youthful look to the Majlis. It is planned to bring in more youth in the forefront. The youth force would, however, be balanced with elders in the party.

What is his immediate task? Like his father, he would like to work for the protection of the cultural and religious identity of Muslims. But his main effort would be to improve the Majlis tally in the Assembly. In the ensuing election the target is to increase the party strength to at least 10. Mr. Asaduddin has set his eyes on Amberpet, Malakpet, Jubilee Hills and Rajendernagar Assembly constituencies. The bomb blasts and the subsequent ‘harassment’ of Muslims had awakened the community to the need for more political representation, he says.

The presence of several political parties in the fray, he feels, would benefit Majlis. This was because the core base of Majlis was safe. It had emerged as the third force in the State politics though it never aligned openly with any party. But the new Majlis president hinted at ‘moulding accordingly’ the party given the emerging political situation.

Apart from politics, Mr. Asaduddin plans to strengthen the educational institutions set up by his father. He wants to get a deemed university status for the numerous colleges.

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