The battle for the Hyderabad parliamentary constituency will sure be an interesting one. With a 70 per cent Muslim vote share, the battle lines are drawn between Asaduddin Owaisi of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the new entrant, Zahid Ali Khan of the Telugu Desam Party who is also the editor of popular Urdu daily Siyasat.
Ever since Zahid Ali Khan announced that he would contest the elections, there has been a war of words and reportedly a physical fight between the leaders. A huge controversy was raked up when the MIM leader was blamed for an assault on Khan. In fact, according to reports in the Urdu media in Hyderabad, Khan was assaulted at least four times.
Khan has been receiving support from several quarters. The Telangana Rastriya Samiti and the Praja Rajyam Party have promised him support. Moreover, he is also riding the sympathy wave following the assaults on him, which according to many, was aimed at forcing him withdraw from the race.
Khan took time off to speak with rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa about his role in the forthcoming elections and about his plans in case he manages to break Owaisi's march to Parliament.
You claim that you have been assaulted four times. Hasn't that deterred you from contesting the elections?
(Laughs) There is no question of going back now. Let them do what they want but I am not scared. I am a very brave person you see and I will tell you that you will not find another person like me in the next 100 years (laughs again).
There is a lot of talk in your constituency regarding the issue of development. What are your immediate plans in case you are elected?
I will make this constituency anti-donation. Every person should be educated and not a single person must be denied the right to education under the pretext of donation. I will fight for this and also ensure that the city is developed. Basically, I will do everything under the sun to restore the glory of Hyderabad. My three-point agenda would be to provide education to every child, improve the financial status of minorities and restoring the glory of Hyderabad.
The Muslims have a major vote share in your constituency. There are several complaints about atrocities being meted out against the Muslims. What are your views about that?
Yes, this issue is very much on my mind. If you recollect at the time when atrocities were being meted out against the Muslims, I was the only one who raised my voice and fought for them.
Are you trying to say that the MIM has done nothing for the Muslims?
Yes that is what I am saying. Where were they when the youth were crying for help? The people of Hyderabad are fed up of the MIM. They have focused more on land grabbing rather than development and addressing the real cause.
What are your chances of winning the elections? The MIM candidate does not have a history of losing here.
I will win and I will win comfortably. There is no doubt about that. My opponents have tried several tricks to ensure that I withdraw. It has only made me more determined to fight the elections.
