Hyderabad is one high-profile seat that will evoke much interest ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The Telangana capital will witness a poll battle between AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, who has held onto the seat since 2004, and the relatively unknown Kompella Madhavi Latha fielded by the BJP.
Madhavi has gained followers through fiery speeches with an emphasis on bringing about a change in the Old City. She is also a crusader of women’s rights and has attacked Owaisi for opposing the triple talaq bill and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Owaisi, who has won this seat four times, is unlikely to be defeated in his bastion by a newbie, said Hyderabad residents.
Need for change vs people connect
“Take this scenario – the road I took to go to school in 1980 is still the same, whereas the number of vehicles has increased! I am talking about Malakpet and Chaderghat bridge to Koti. This is the development in the Old City in the last 40 years. The scenario is the same in other parts of this area. There is no infrastructure, sewage management, traffic, hygiene or job opportunities. There is zero law enforcement and government officials have to beg people to pay electricity dues. The leader and the party who represented us for the last 40 years never ever spoke about development,” said a PR professional Satya Pamula.
A techie, Padmavathi, who calls herself a proud Hyderabadi said: “I was born and brought up in Saidabad, which is in the Old City. I am working as an IT professional in Hitech City and there is a hell and heaven difference. There is hardly any development in the Old City, and it’s a nightmare if you have a car. You can’t drive in lanes, which are unable to even accommodate auto-rickshaws. Education, health and women’s issues are hardly discussed here. I wish and hope things will change with Madhavi Latha, who has at least been discussing these issues in this male bastion for decades.”
But, software professional Vamshi Krishna feels that it is difficult to defeat Owaisi because of his popularity and his connection to the masses. “Owaisi is going to win for sure. He is accessible to his people in person and over the phone. The BJP clearly knew that it’s a lost cause and chose an affluent woman as a curtain raiser for the 2029 election, where you will see her fielded as an MLA or at a nominated post. This woman is media savvy and wants to gain attention as a befitting opponent to Owaisi. The BJP has no ideology and, not just in Telangana, their desperation is evident in other states like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, where they have stitched up alliances with their naysayers and played opportunist politics, divide and rule policy,” he said.
But, Satya said since Madhavi is from the Old City herself, she will not find it difficult to mingle with all sections of people. “After the late Tiger Narendra, who was a thorn in the AIMIM’s flesh, is the only BJP leader who has come close to winning the Hyderabad seat,” Satya added.
Ananth, who works in the food and beverages industry, said people should not go by religion but by development. “People are looking for progressive measures in education, health and transportation. While the rest of the city is growing with good roads, greenery and flyovers, the Old City remains the same. We need to build world-class infrastructure here for the next generation,” Ananth said.
For Syed Mohammed from Karwan in the Old City, Owaisi is like Rajinikanth. He is a big leader and with a large following and oodles of charisma. “I don’t think Madhavi Latha has the charisma of Owaisi. He is a national leader, who has a massive following in Hyderabad and other constituencies in Telangana. He is the Rajinikanth of Hyderabad and Telangana. For Muslims, he is a true leader representing them. That is why, every elected government forms an alliance with the AIMIM. We have seen how hard he has worked in the last assembly elections,” Syed said.
Hyderabad is one out of the 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana. At least 65 per cent of the 18.22 lakh voters are Muslims.
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