Keen on making its mark beyond Deccan region, Muslim right-wing party All India Majlis-e-Itehadul Muslameen (AIMIM) has fielded a Hindu candidate from Mumbai's Kurla assembly constituency – a seat reserved under schedule caste and has a sizeable Muslim population.
Avinash Gopichand Barve, a resident of Panvel is perhaps, party's sole Hindu candidate contesting from Mumbai region. A businessman by profession, Barve has total assets worth Rs 20,910 and holds an M Phil degree from an Aurangabad University. Barve, when contacted for comments, refused to talk to dna over phone.
The party, however, is contesting on 14 seats from Mumbai, mostly from Muslim-dominated pockets. A few prominent seats from where the party is contesting includes Byculla, Versova, Shivaji Nagar, Bandra East and West, Kurla, Mumbra and Bhiwandi. The most promising and known name amongst MIM faces is that of Shahid Rafi, son of legendary singer Mohammmed Rafi. Shahid is contesting from Mumbadevi and Bandra (East).
"Our party's main aim is to give an option to Muslims and Dalits who have been tired of the vote-bank politics of Congress and NCP that have never served the community in the real sense," said a senior AIMIM leader from Mumbai region.
Except for two seats -- Bandra East and Shivaji Nagar – remaining 12 seats are currently either with Congress or NCP. Bandra East is with Sena and Shivaji Nagar with Samajwadi Party.
The AIMIM is led by Owaisi brothers Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owai and MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi. This will be the first time that the party will be contesting Maharashtra assembly polls. They are, however, not strangers to Maharashtra political scene. The party burst on to Maharashtra political scene in 2012, netting 11 seats in Nanded civic polls.
Nanded in Marathwada is the stronghold of former CM Ashok Chavan, who is one of the two Congress nominees from state to have made it to LS in last polls. AIMIM contested here in alliance with Dalit-dominated Samvidhan Party, which won two seats.
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