Owaisi likens Muslims to 'band baja in wedding'; laments at lack of representation

Lamenting over the lack of representation of Muslims in UP politics, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday, likened the community to an orchestra at a wedding. Claiming that like the 'band baja' are asked to play music but remain outside the wedding hall, Muslims to have no leader to represent them. Vowing that it won't happen anymore, he said that 19% Muslim population will get a leader. The 403-seat UP assembly where Yogi rules with an iron-clad majority of 314 seats, is up for grabs in February 2022.

Owaisi: 'Muslims like band baja party'

Owaisi's UP campaign

AIMIM has joined the 'Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha' led by Om Prakash Rajbhar. The alliance comprises of  9 parties - AIMIM, SBSP, Apna Dal (Krishna Patel), Rashtroday Party, Rashtriya Bhagidari Party, and Janta Kranti Party. Moreover, recently, Owaisi met with Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party chief  Shivpal Yadav - ex-CM Akhilesh Yadav's uncle, hinting at an alliance. Shivpal Yadav is also mulling an alliance with his nephew and will share the stage for the celebration of Mulayam Singh Yadav's birthday on November 22.

Recently, AIMIM UP chief Shaukat Ali announced that the party will not field any candidate against Ansari. Previously,  Ali asserted that if Mukhtar Ansari approaches the party, they would definitely give him a ticket, or if he decides to fight the elections solo, they would back him. Ansari is a 5-time MLA from the Mau constituency and is currently in Uttar Pradesh's Banda jail.

Moreover, Owaisi's party itself has inducted mafia don-turned-politician Ateeq Ahmad, his wife Shaista Parveen and his lawyer in the presence of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. Addressing a press conference in Ayodhya, AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi defended Ahmad's entry citing that several BJP lawmakers also faced serious criminal charges. "As per Indian law, he is yet to be convicted in any case," said Owaisi.

UP Polls 2022

With BJP fighting under the leadership of incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath, several fronts have cropped up to challenge the ruling BJP. While Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj has allied with AIMIM, Azad Samaj Party, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party; parties like AAP, Shiv Sena, and JDU have announced that they will be contesting for the UP polls. SP chief Akhilesh Singh Yadav has stated that SP will only ally with smaller political parties for the 2022 Assembly polls, holding talks with Mahan Dal, NCP. Mayawati has already announced that her party will fight polls alone in UP and Uttarakhand, while allying only with Akali Dal in Punjab. Congress has aggressively campaigned under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi in the state, eyeing its solo return.