Owaisi-led AIMIM opens account in TN, wins two municipal seats

Hyderabad, Feb 23 (IANS) AIMIM led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has opened its account in Tamil Nadu by winning two seats in municipal elections.

The Hyderabad-headquartered party won two wards in Vaniyambadi municipality where elections were held on February 19 and the results declared on February 22.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won two of the 16 wards it contested in Vaniyambadi. Niyamatullah and R. Nabeela were the two AIMIM candidates elected to the 36-member municipality.

Muslim League had contested the municipal polls in alliance with the ruling DMK. In both the wards won by AIMIM, Muslim League candidates finished second.

According to AIMIM leaders, Nabila secured 50.46 per cent votes in ward number 19, while Nematullah polled 34.10 per cent votes in ward number four.

AIMIM Tamil Nadu unit president T. S. Vakeel Ahmed thanked people for electing two party candidates. Party in charge Rehmatullah Tayyab and party corporator in Hyderabad Rashiduddin Faraz had campaigned for the party.

The victory in two municipal wards in Tamil Nadu came amid AIMIM's continuing efforts to expand to various states.

This comes months after the party's unsuccessful bid to open an account in Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. It had fielded candidates in three constituencies under an alliance with Dinakaran-led AMMK but drew a blank.

Tamil Nadu is the fourth state in south India after Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to have its representation in municipal bodies.

AIMIM has two MPs one each from Telangana and Maharashtra and 14 MLAs - seven in Telangana, five in Bihar and two in Maharashtra.

The win in Tamil Nadu came amid the party's attempts to open its account in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is running a hectic campaign in Uttar Pradesh. The party has announced plans to contest 100 seats in Uttar Pradesh.