MIM supporters threaten an Independent candidate
Nikhat Fatima, Siyasat.net
Hyderabad Undivided Andhra Pradesh and now Telangana state have their own regional parties such as TDP ( Telugu Desam Party), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). National parties have had no luck except for Indian National Congress ( INC) which has now lost ground of late. But the BJP are striving harder than before to gain ground as they did not fare well in the assembly elections.
The present government made a sudden announcement for the GHMC ( Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) elections to be held on the 1st of December in the 150 divisions. The elections were slated for January 2021 but now with this sudden announcement, the candidates have no time for fully fledged preparations; especially the Independent candidates are finding it very tough to mobilise funds and people.
Desh Bhaks Vs Desh Drohis
The BJP is running road shows using well known high profile party leaders. Smriti Irani came to Hyderabad to promote the BJP candidates contesting for the municipal elections. Union Minister Kishan Reddy has also joined the road shows.
In one show at Ramanthapur, state president of BJP and MP Bandi Sanjay said BJP will do a surgical strike on old city of Hyderabad accusing the MIM of winning through votes of Rohingyas and Pakistanis. He even went as far as to say that the elections are between Desh Bhakts and Desh Drohis.
However his sensational inciting words did not go down well with the other political parties and even the residents of the old city. The party president of TRS, K T Rama Rao slammed BJP saying that they are trying to disturb the peace of the old city by making false allegations.
The residents of the old city , especially the Muslim community who suffered due to the recent floods in the month of October asked why does BJP not talk about the floods and the help they will provide to the victims when they claim that they will develop the city 10 times faster?
“BJP is at it again- playing the hate card to win elections. The very word surgical strike has angered us. How is this relevant for the municipal elections? Even Smriti Irani said they will deport Rohingyas. But our civic issues are different. We want the garbage to be cleared and more garbage bins installed, land encroachment to be stopped, drains to be fixed. Municipal elections are all about that not about Rohingyas and Pakistanis” said Samadani, a businessman.
“BJP has to name Pakistan, if not their campaigns, their speeches are incomplete” laughed Sana a school teacher.
50% quota for women
Women have been given 50% reservation in the Municipal corporation elections to encourage more participation from them. However as per the list released by the state election commission of the contesting candidates shows that there are more men than women who are contesting the elections.
The political parties seem to have given more seats to the men. The 3 major parties TRS, Congress and BJP have allotted 84, 75 and 73 seats for women candidates respectively. Independent women candidates are 172. Overall there are 541 women contesting the GHMC elections while the men are 581.
Despite the reservation, women are in many cases behind the scene as it is their spouses who handle all the affairs even when the woman wins. In many hand bills the woman’s name is seen with the name of her spouse and also the picture is of both the husband and wife together. In case of Muslim women contesting, the picture on the hand bill is that of the husband.
“Reservations are not going to help much when women are not seen as capable enough or are just there for namesake. In the previous elections also the elected lady corporators were at home while their husbands managed the affairs and took care of the ward” shared a ward member who frequents the corporator’s office for different works concerning the ward. “ In our division also it is the same thing, Madam(the corporator) hardly interacts with us, it is always her husband who is in charge. She only comes if she is invited to some program in our basti.’
Woman contesting candidate threatened
Dr Lubna Sarwath, an upright and fiery activist, who has filed her candidacy from Asifnagar, as an Independent candidate was disallowed to campaign in the area. On 25th November, she and her team of 5 persons were verbally assaulted by some people who were supporters of the AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen). Lubna and her team had to cut short their campaign.
However a video was captured showing the entire incident where the men were threatening Dr Lubna and her team. The video went viral and now after complaints from Dr Lubna, she is being provided with police protection.
Dr Lubna, who had earlier contested for the MLA elections, is by and large among the very few candidates who share their manifesto with the public. Lubna being an activist who has always been vocal about issues concerning the people of Hyderabad whether it is about conserving lakes, land grabbers, violence against minor girls, education concerns, she has always been vocal about these issues.
Asifnagar is one of the reserved wards where among the 5 contesting women, Dr Lubna is the only post graduate while others are all undergraduates. She has promised honest governance, accountability, dignity and security of life to all.
“But the police protection is only for 2 hours which is difficult as there are only 4 days left. How will I campaign for just 2 hours in a day”? she asks.
“It is an uphill task for honest people who have no muscle power or money to spend lavishly to contest elections. People know that any candidate who gives them money or treats them to biryani and beer is bribing them yet they like to be bribed. Then how can they expect an honest leader?” said Mohammed Omer cynically. “ We need honest people like Dr Lubna” he said conclusively. (www.siyasat.net is Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India website, powered by Gujarat siyasat, a fortnightly)
