CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR, Oct 17: Former AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel on Thursday said he wants to contest the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll though he added that party chief Asaduddin Qwaisi will take the final call on the issue.
The bypoll to Nanded Lok Sabha seat will be held on November 20 along with the one-phase Maharashtra assembly elections, while results will be announced in November 23.
The bypoll has been necessitated by the death of sitting Congress MP Vasantrao Chavan in August.
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The Congress, during the day, named Ravindra Chavan, the son of the late Chavan, as its candidate for the Nanded parliamentary seat bypoll.
Asserting that AIMIM workers had begun work on the ground, Jaleel said, “I wish to contest the Nanded bypoll. Our party chief Owaisi has been told to check the situation. The decision has to be taken by him.”
Talking to NDTV Marathi here, he said the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has a strong presence in Nanded and the party’s entry into Maharashtra politics was through this district.
Asked about his name being announced for the assembly polls from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the former MP just said “anything can happen in politics”.
Asked about the chances of the Congress to retain the Nanded seat, Jaleel said the AIMIM had proposed an alliance with that party earlier but got no response.
“If they don’t take us seriously, they (Congress) will see our power in Nanded,” Jaleel claimed.
Meanwhile, speaking to PTI, Chavan said even if Jaleel contests from Nanded, the people of the constituency will stand firmly with the Congress.
“Even after many big leaders left the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, our party won in Nanded. Now too (in the bypoll), people will stand firmly with the Congress,” he said.
Brushing aside any impact on the voting pattern if Jaleel contests, Chavan said, “People know them (AIMIM) for polarisation and some people have benefited from this. But I believe his candidature will make no difference.”
He also thanked the Congress’ state and national leadership for giving him the party ticket for the Nanded bypoll.
Jaleel, the AIMIM’s Maharashtra unit chief, lost to Shiv Sena’s Sandipan Bhumre in the 2024 Lok Sabha from Aurangabad. (PTI)
