New Delhi: Asaduddin Owaisi, leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), took aim at former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after a rally in Okhla. Rallying support for AIMIM candidate Shifa Ur Rahman, Owaisi accused the Kejriwal-led government for failing to deliver any development in the constituency over the past decade.
Speaking to IANS, Owaisi said, “For 10 years, Kejriwal’s MLA hasn’t done anything here, and now the people are angry. We’re seeing a positive shift this time because the people of Okhla are tired of the neglect. We will win in this constituency.”
Owaisi also highlighted the plight of Shifa Ur Rahman and Tahir Hussain, both of whom are currently in jail over their alleged involvement in the 2020 Delhi riots.
He decried the ‘oppression’ faced by the two leaders, emphasising that the rally and upcoming votes garnered by them would be a form of resistance against the government that, according to him, wrongfully imprisoned them.
“The vote here will send a message to those who have wrongfully jailed Shifa and Tahir. The people will answer those who conspired to keep them in jail,” Owaisi said.
The controversy surrounding Shifa Ur Rahman and Tahir Hussain stems from their alleged connection to the Delhi riots, with both facing multiple charges.
The AIMIM has fielded them as candidates for the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections.
The families of the incarcerated candidates have stepped in to campaign in their place, with emotional appeals for votes.
Owaisi also hit back at Kejriwal’s earlier remarks targeting politicians facing corruption charges, questioning his own integrity.
“What about the leaders who were jailed for their involvement in the liquor scam?” Owaisi stated.
Owaisi further reacted to Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s rally in Delhi.
“So what do we have to do, the people of Okhla and Mustafabad will make us successful by using their votes,” he concluded.
The AIMIM leader’s comments come ahead of a tense election battle in Delhi, where the political stakes are high.
With parties vying for the attention of women voters and issues like justice, governance, and corruption dominating the discourse, Owaisi is rallying his base for what could be a crucial electoral showdown.
The Delhi Assembly elections will take place on February 5, with vote counting scheduled for February 8.
(IANS)
