Durbar behind MIM popularity

DECCAN CHRONICLE | S.A. ISHAQUI

Published Dec 16, 2015, 12:25 pm IST

Updated Feb 23, 2016, 2:43 pm IST

All MIM legislators hear public grievances daily, solve them.

 An elderly Sikh gentleman airs his grievance to MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi at Darussalam, the party headquarters, in Hyderabad on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: The daily durbar at Darussalam, the MIM headquarters, where the party’s elected representatives meet the people, is thronged these days by aspirants for party tickets for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls. Traditionally, the daily durbar gives the people an opportunity to meet the party’s elected representatives, including the party president, on all days, except Fridays, from 11 am to 3 pm. 

 

The people’s grievances are heard, and steps taken to redress them. Most of the visitors seek ration cards, old-age pensions, water connections or highlight sewerage or road-related problems. According to Jaffar Hussain Meraj, Nampally MLA, on an average, about 500 people from various corners of the city and across the state, irrespective of caste and creed, visit the party office daily. They list various types of problems, mostly regarding basic amenities like water, power, roads and sewerage besides seeking help for ration cards, old age pensions, delay in sanctioning of scholarships and government welfare scheme etc. 

 

“We, including Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi, are available in the office to hear their problems and resolve them by contacting the officers concerned, either on phone or writing a letter. If necessary, we personally visit the officers concerned to resolve the issues,” Mr Meraj said. He expects the number of visitors to increase after the announcement of the 2BHK scheme, especially in light of the forthcoming polls. 

 

MLC Altaf Hyder Rizvi said, “We also sit on Sunday for the convenience of the working classes so that they can visit the office to resolve their issues. This has been the practice since the party’s inception and after Sultan Salauddin Owaisi became an MLA, it gained more significance.” According to the party workers, besides the four hours at the party headquarters, every MLA, MLC and corporator has to be available at their local party offices in the evening for the public. 

 

Every day, 200 to 300 workers also visit the headquarters, apart from the public. Since elections are round the corner, the number of visitors has crossed over 1,500 per day, and is expected to increase after the poll notification is issued. “Interestingly, we are witnessing considerable increase in the number of non-Muslim visitors, who are aspiring for party tickets,” Mr Rizvi said. 

 

The party MLAs said that the MIM is prepared to face the elections and this time too, its is confident of living up to its slogan, “Shaher hamara, mayor hamara”. The party has decided to use the social media as a publicity tool for its election campaign. The MIM won 43 wards in the last elections and is expecting to better its performance to 55 seats and emerge as single largest party in the GHMC.