ఎంఐఎం: హైదరాబాద్ మజ్లిస్ పార్టీ చరిత్ర

AIMIM: The history of Hyderabad's Majlis party

When it comes to politics in the old city of Hyderabad, the name All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM or MIM) inevitably comes to mind. The party, which has been holding the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat and the assembly seats in the old city for decades, has a very old and complicated history.

Emergence (1927)

In 1927, Nawab Mahmud Nawaz Khan started the "Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen" as a socio-cultural organization in the Nizam's Hyderabad State. Later, under the leadership of Bahadur Yar Jung, it strengthened into a political organization.

The Razakars' Era — A Dark Chapter

In the 1940s, Qasim Razvi became the president of the Majlis. Under his leadership, the armed group "Razakars" committed atrocities in villages in protest against the merger of Hyderabad with India. The Majlis was banned after Operation Polo in September 1948. Razvi was arrested; after his release, he went to Pakistan. The party's opponents still criticize it because of this history; the current party, however, says that it is a separate entity, constitutionally reconstituted in 1958.

Restoration (1958)

In 1958, lawyer Abdul Wahed Owaisi revived the party as the "All India" Majlis, a political party operating under the Indian Constitution. They declared that the educational, social and political rights of Muslims and other backward classes were their goals. Since then, the party leadership has remained in the Owaisi family.

Salahuddin Owaisi — "Salar-e-Millat"

Abdul Wahed Owaisi's son Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi transformed the party into an electoral force. He won consecutively from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat from 1984 to 2004. During this period, the party established institutions like engineering, medical colleges, hospitals, and banks. This strengthened the party's social base in the old city.

The era of Asaduddin Owaisi

Asaduddin Owaisi has been the MP from Hyderabad since 2004. He studied law in London and is known as an eloquent speaker in Parliament. His brother Akbaruddin Owaisi is the Chandrayangutta MLA and the party leader in the Assembly.

Election record

In the united state, even after the formation of Telangana, AIMIM has been consistently winning about seven assembly seats in the old city area. It also has a significant number of corporators in GHMC. It has maintained cooperative relations with Congress and TRS/BRS governments at various times.

National expansion

In recent years, the party has contested in other states as well. It won MLAs in Maharashtra, the Aurangabad MP seat at one stage, and a few assembly seats in Bihar. While rival parties criticize the AIMIM for indirectly helping the BJP by splitting votes, the party argues that its constituencies need an independent political voice.

Criticisms and arguments

Despite being in power in the old city for decades, opponents criticize the region for lagging behind in development. Some leaders' speeches have been controversial. On the other hand, the party has supporters who speak strongly in Parliament about minority rights and constitutional values.

Conclusion

The history of the Majlis, which has undergone many twists and turns since the Nizam's time to the present day, is an important part of Hyderabad's political history. Whether one supports or criticizes the party — knowing its history based on facts is essential to understanding Hyderabad politics.

Photo: Littleowaisi (talk) (Uploads) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)