Storming The Citadel

The BJP plans a raid on Owaisi home turf Hyderabad.

- Amarnath K. Menon

The Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency has been the pocket borough of the Owaisi family and their party, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), since 1984. But now the BJP, as in other opposition citadels, is making a concer ted attempt to dislodge the AIMIM. On the last lap of his three-day tour of the state, party chief Amit Shah impressed upon the cadre the need to develop booth-level committees.

But to mount a serious challenge in Hyderabad will require a herculean effort. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and earlier, his father Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, have nurtured the city for over four decades, making it difficult ground for rivals to gain a foothold.