Multi-cornered fight among the kin of Muslim political heavyweights of Madhya Pradesh has made the contest most interesting in the ward number eight of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation election polling for which is scheduled for January 31. The battle for the BMC's ward number 8 is turning out to be most interesting among the wards of the State Capital as on the one hand it has become replica of Bhopal North Assembly election, while on the other prestige of four tall Muslim leaders of the State is at stake from there.
All eyes have turned towards the election to this ward because the winner of the Assembly election and now Congress MlA Arif Aqueel's younger brother Amir Aqueel is taking on Bharatiya Janata Party's defeated candidate and former union minister Arif Beig's son Nurul Hasan Beig. Besides younger brother of MP Congress Committee - minority department chairman Mohammed Saleem's brother Mohammed Zaheer revolted from Congress and is in the fray as Independent and Arif Ali Khan, grandson of late Communist leader Khan Shakir Ali Khan popularly known as Sher e Bhopal are also trying their electoral luck from this ward as independent candidate.
During the run for the Assembly elections from Bhopal North the Congress candidate Arif Aqueel defeated BJP senior leader Arif Beig. And now, in the run for BMC elections Aqueel's brother and Beig's son are fighting it out to be the Corporator from ward number 8. Amir Aqueel is though seasoned political player as he has once remained Corporator and Mayor in Council (MiC) member besides being closely associated with his MlA brother and his politics, while Nurul Hasan Beig is new entrant in the field of politics and is learning political etiquettes after being fielded by the BJP from ward and same is the story of Mohammed Zaheer and Arif Ali Khan.
Amir Aqueel while talking to 'The Pioneer' said, "I am banking on the good works done in the interest of the people of Bhopal by Congress MlA and my elder brother Arif Aqueel besides the works done by me during my earlier innings as Corporator and MiC member." Aqueel further said if voted to power from the ward I would work to make it a model ward and would remain available round the clock to the electorate of the ward.
Nurul Hasan Beig said, "I am from the family that believes in serving the people, the ward from where I have fielded is very backward, some of the areas even lack basic amenities. I would work for the comprehensive development of ward." Beig further said that the Khanugaon area of the ward needs a hospital and higher secondary school besides there are many historical and heritage buildings in the ward that are in bad shape, I would press for the conservation and beautification of these historical and heritage buildings.
Mohammed Zaheer said, "I am a native of this ward since birth and knows all its problems, if voted to power I would try to solve all the problems of the people." Arif Ali Khan said, "The people of the ward forced me to contest the elections, as they are fade up with the Congress and the BJP that have not done anything for the ward and the city, if elected I would try to make the ward as model ward of the state capital."
The most interesting feature observed in this ward's electoral prospects is that a independent candidate Mohammed Saud is appearing as an public choice and is way ahead than all the heavyweights in all means including campaigning and public acceptance. Saud does not belong to any political family and is not having backing from any heavyweight.