Hyderabad: BJP MP Raghunandan Rao raised serious concerns over the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party’s decision not to contest, despite its consistent participation in elections across the country. Addressing the media on Wednesday, Rao questioned the rationale behind AIMIM’s absence in its home turf, alleging a covert alliance between AIMIM and the Congress party.

Rao pointed out that AIMIM has fielded candidates in multiple states—20 seats in Bihar (2020), 3 in Tamil Nadu (2021), 6 in West Bengal, 95 in Uttar Pradesh (2022), and several others in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Delhi. He emphasized that AIMIM’s electoral footprint spans the nation, yet it has chosen to stay away from the Jubilee Hills bypoll, where it once secured second place with over 41,000 votes in 2014.

He alleged that AIMIM’s withdrawal is part of a strategic understanding with Congress, aimed at consolidating votes and preventing a BJP victory. According to Rao, the Congress candidate in Jubilee Hills is likely to be someone handpicked by AIMIM, revealing what he termed a “backdoor political deal.” He claimed that this arrangement is linked to the upcoming GHMC elections, where AIMIM is reportedly eyeing the Mayor’s post in exchange for support.

Rao further accused the Congress government of appeasement politics, citing the sudden issuance of government orders related to graveyard construction in Jubilee Hills. He questioned the urgency behind night-time tenders, police deployment, and CCTV installations, suggesting that these actions were politically motivated to satisfy a particular group.