In a clear indication of his plans to expand his base in Uttar Pradesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has decided to adopt a village in Azamgarh district under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojna.
His announcement has come close on the heels of his decision to enter Uttar Pradesh political scene and contest future elections following MIM's successful debut in Maharashtra politics. Owaisi's choice of village may pit him directly in the path of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav as the village falls in latter's lok Sabha constituency.
Owaisi said that he has given his choice to the Government. "I am waiting for the approval", he said. If his idea gets Government's nod, Owaisi will be able to spend his development fund for the development of the village.
Owaisi said that there was nothing wrong in his choice. When asked about the negative image Azamgarh had acquired following the arrest of many youth in connection with terrorist incidents, Owaisi said that the place also had many positives. "Azamgarh has a special place in our history as it had contributed immensely to the war of Independence. It also has Shibili National College of Allama Shibli, the famous scholar", he said.
He rued that Azamgarh's image of deliberately tarnished by vested interest. He also defended his choice of a village in far off Uttar Pradesh saying his own constituency Hyderabad was urban and had no village to be adopted for development.
MIM leadership has identified Uttar Pradesh among the states where it intends to strengthen the organisation and contest the elections. Party's two key leaders Asad Owaisi and his younger brother Akbaruddin Owaisi have been addressing a series of meetings in different parts of the country.
As MIM's immediate target was contesting Bengaluru Mahangara Palike elections, Asad Owaisi was scheduled to address a public meeting there soon. The party already has a presence in Karnataka where it won three seats each in municipal councils of Bidar and Basavakalyan.