Delhi elections | How Owaisi factor hit AAP, Congress hard in these two constituencies
The party’s impact could be gauged from the fact that the Congress was relegated to the fourth spot in both Okhla and Mustafabad
Even as small political players like BSP and CPI failed to make an impact in the just concluded Delhi Assembly elections, the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM managed to make its presence felt as both of its candidates emerged as second runners-up in their respective constituencies.
The AIMIM fielded two candidates in the Delhi election -- Shifa Ur Rehman Khan from Okhla and Tahir Hussain from Mustafabad. The party’s impact could be gauged from the fact that the Congress was relegated to the fourth spot in both these constituencies. Moreover, the division of votes paved the way for the BJP’s triumph in Mustafabad, a constituency with a significant minority population.
Divides Opposition votes
In Okhla, AAP leader Amanatullah Khan managed to hold on to his seat, though his winning margin came down drastically due to AIMIM’s presence in the electoral arena. He won the seat by 23,639 votes. The BJP’s Manish Chaudhary finished second, while Shifa Ur Rehman Khan came third with 39,558 votes. The Congress’ Ariba Khan got 12,739 votes.
Also read: Arvind Kejriwal's hubris led to AAP's debris
It was the Mustafabad constituency that sprang a surprise as the BJP’s Mohan Singh Bisht emerged victorious by a margin of 17,578 votes. This despite the fact that the Assembly segment has a nearly 40 per cent Muslim population. The AAP's Adeel Ahmed Khan got 67,637 votes followed by AIMIM's Tahir Hussain with 33,474 votes and the Congress's Ali Mehdi with 11,763 votes. The division of Opposition votes helped the BJP secure a comfortable win.
Accused in 2020 Delhi riots
Interestingly, both AIMIM candidates have been named as accused in cases linked to the 2020 Delhi riots and are currently in jail.
Over 50 people were killed and scores injured in the riots, which broke out in February 2020 following clashes between supporters and opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Shifa Ur Rehman Khan and Tahir Hussain were granted interim bail for campaigning, during which they held several roadshows in Okhla alongside AIMIM leaders, including Owaisi.
