Asaduddin Owaisi, once the leader of a little-known group confined to the old city of Hyderabad, has become a prominent voice for Muslims in the country in recent years.
During the recent counting of votes for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, Owaisi secured a significant victory over his BJP rival Madhavi Latha, with a margin of over 3.38 lakh votes. This victory is seen as a testament to the strong influence of the Owaisi family in the old city.
Despite facing criticism of being associated with the "B team of BJP," Owaisi has been working to expand the party's presence throughout the country, although he has had limited success.
Under his leadership, the AIMIM has achieved electoral victories in states such as Maharashtra and Bihar.
Perceived as a highly polarizing figure, Owaisi, a lawyer and Bar-at-Law from Lincoln's Inn, London, is a skilled communicator in both Urdu and English and is known to make his opponents defensive in any debate.
He is not hesitant to take an independent stance, as evidenced by his and his Lok Sabha colleague Imtiaz Jaleel being the only two members to vote against the women's reservation bill in the Lok Sabha.
A staunch critic of BJP and RSS, Owaisi has been outspoken in his opposition to the CAA, NRC, and NPR.
He often responds to BJP leaders' accusations that the AIMIM is a party of 'Razakars' (a private militia that defended the erstwhile Nizam rule in Hyderabad) and that he wields influence over BRS and Congress by hitting back.
Asaduddin Owaisi, born on May 13, 1969, was elected to the undivided Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the Charminar constituency in Hyderabad in 1994 and re-elected in 1999. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Hyderabad in 2004 and later in 2009, 2014, and 2019. In the recent elections, he faced a spirited fight from BJP's Madhavi Latha.
Owaisi was elected president of the AIMIM after the demise of his father, eminent Muslim leader Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, a six-term MP and five-term legislator, in 2008. Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi also represented Hyderabad as both MLA and MP.
The party claims that Asaduddin Owaisi has been instrumental in persuading the Centre to establish an exclusive Ministry of Minority Affairs to look after the welfare of religious minorities, including Muslims, in the country.
The website also mentions that Asaduddin Owaisi worked to secure four per cent reservation for socially and educationally backward Muslims in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2004.
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