The minority convention of the Congress here on Sunday turned into a Majlis bashing affair. Right from the AICC general secretary, Digvijaya Singh, to the party worker, everyone trained guns at the MIM for queering the pitch for Congress in Maharashtra. They also criticised it for sailing with the TRS in Telangana.
Except for highlighting the party’s efforts in providing four per cent reservations to Muslims in the united AP, the Congress leaders devoted most of the time in targeting their one-time ally. The Congress resolved to take the fight right into the Majlis stronghold. “The next minority convention will be in the old city,” Mr. Singh declared drawing huge applause from the Congress men.
In tune with the party workers’ angst against the MIM, Mr. Singh said the Congress would fight the coming GHMC elections on its own and give the Majlis a fitting reply. He asked the TPCC to activate the division-level committees. Now, candidates would be chosen only after due consultation with the voters. “We will field such Hindu candidates whom Muslims will vote for and such Muslim candidates whom Hindus will support,” Mr. Singh said.
Though the Congress had understanding with the Majlis, it had now realised that the MIM and BJP were two sides of the same coin. He accused the Owaisi brothers of striking a deal with the BJP and the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. This was clear from the way the two legislators of Majlis abstained from taking part in the vote of confidence motion in the Maharashtra Assembly. The party was now looking for Muslim candidates for Delhi polls.
Khursheed Ahmed Sayeed, chairman, AICC Minorities Department, criticised the Owaisi brothers for questioning what the Congress had done in Maharashtra. Former Union Minister Salman Khursheed too expressed concern over the Majlis winning two seats in the Congress stronghold.
Congress MP V. Hanumnatha Rao asked the party workers to take up campaign in the old city to expose the Majlis. Mohammed Sirajuddin, chairman, TPCC Minority Department and TPCC president Ponnala Laxmiah attended.
