The by-poll is slated for April 11, where AIMIM nominee Raja Rehbar Khan is pitted against Shiv Sena candidate Trupti Sawant and Congress nominee Narayan Rane. The voting for Navi Mumbai and Aurangabad corporations will take place on April 22. Besides, AIMIM has started its preparations for the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation slated for 2017. AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi have declared that unless the party wins 10-15 seats in the state, the party can't stay quiet. AIMIM came into light after it won 11 out of 81 seats in the Nanded Municipal Corporation election held in 2012.
AIMIM legislator Waris Pathan told Business Standard: “AIMIM is not merely a pro-Muslim party but it bats for secularism and development of all castes, communities and work for the development of the state and the country. The party has been raising these issues both inside and outside the legislature and also in Parliament, even while opposing communal politics. Therefore, other parties should stop levelling allegations against AIMIM for playing communal politics.”
The Bandra seat fell vacant following the demise of Shiv Sena legislator Bala Sawant. Pathan said the party has been advocating inclusive growth and has been speaking out against the ban on sale of beef. Pathan was explaining the party's expansion strategy after the Shiv Sena attacked Owaisi brothers for indulging in anti-Hindu propaganda. Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray had appealed to the BJP to strengthen Hindutva forces to check the rise of anti-national forces. Following the appeal, the BJP decided to support to the Shiv Sena candidate.
The Congress, which has nominated former chief minister Narayan Rane, who lost to Shiv Sena candidate Vaibhav Naik in the Assembly poll from Kudal constituency, has alleged that AIMIM was nothing but Shiv Sena’s B-team.
“Whatever votes MIM got in the last assembly elections came from the Congress's vote bank. Muslims have realised that a vote to MIM will help only the Sena,” Rane said.