TRS makes inroads into MIM's bastion

Hyderabad, Jan 15 (INN): The Old City of Hyderabad was treated as a 'forbidden area' by major political parties including Telugu Desam and Congress. However, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi is trying to score a point by strengthening its base in the Old City.

According to sources, the TRS has intensified membership campaign in all the areas of Old City and it has been receiving tremendous response.

The induction of MLC Mahmood Ali into the State Cabinet as Deputy Chief Minister appears to have sent a strong message among the masses that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was not ONLY secular, but he also believes in the political empowerment of the Muslim community.

The promise of giving 12% reservation and Shaadi Mubarak scheme, aimed at providing Rs 51,000/- to poor girls at the time of their marriage, have helped the TRS workers in making foray into the lanes and by-lanes of Old City.

The TRS has reportedly enrolled over one lakh members in the Old City in the last few weeks. The TRS had stood fourth in Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency in the last general elections.

While MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi had secured 513,868 votes to win the Hyderabad seat, his main rival Dr Bhagavanth Rao of BJP got 311,414. The Congress candidate, S Krishna Reddy, stood third with 49,310. But considered to be a non-entity in the Old City, the TRS had secured a decent 37,195 votes. The TRS had fielded, Rashid Shareef, a businessman and son of former MIM MLA late Afzal Shareef.

Although Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had maintained cordial relationship with the MIM after the elections, he was keen that the party strengthens its base in the Old City.

According to sources, KCR does not want to rely on the MIM as it is notorious for changing loyalties. The MIM was always friendly with the party-in-power. It was close to TDP from 1995-2003 and then with the Congress from 2004-2012.

By making friendship, it kept the both the TDP and Congress from strengthening their bases in the Old City. However, KCR wants to adopt a different approach and wants to encash upon his secular image and minority welfare schemes.

Led by Rashid Shareef, the TRS workers undertook a campaign in the Old City, to ensure that maximum number of deserving beneficiaries get the pension benefits. As a result, nearly 4,500 persons have got pensions for the first time ever. Nearly 300 applications for Shaadi Mubarak scheme too have been processed by the TRS workers in the Old City.

Besides enrolling new members, the TRS has also launched a silent operation 'Aakarshan' by inviting MIM workers into the party. Nearly 1,000 MIM workers are likely to join the TRS at an event to be held on January 22. When contacted, TRS leader Rashid Shareef confirmed of joining of over 1,000 workers from different parties in the Old City into the TRS. However, he refused to divulge more details.