Jaago Voter…Choose Your Leader: Karwan - Once a saffron fortress, it turned MIM bastion in few years

♦ MLA Kausar Mohiuddin won the seat with over 50,000 votes majority in 2018

♦ Karwan historically connects Golconda fort with Charminar and has seen a surge in voter count

♦ AIMIM has been winning the Karwan seat since 1999, establishing it as a party bastion

♦ Public transport remains a major concern in the constituency, with limited TSRTC services

Hyderabad:

The Karwan Assembly constituency is one of the most ancient constituencies of Hyderabad. Once a fortress of BJP, is now a bastion of AIMIM. Though it has recorded one of the highest nominations in Hyderabad with 21 candidates in 2018, MLA Kausar Mohiuddin won the seat with the highest majority of votes with over 50,000 vote margin.

Karwan is the historic precinct of Golconda and Karwan. The area is one of the oldest parts of the city as it formed the bridge that connected the Golconda fort with Charminar. The constituency was formed in 1952 with an INC candidate winning the seat. It is one of the few constituencies where the voter count has surged.

The BJP had a stronghold in Karwan, and its candidate Baddam Bal Reddy won the seat three consecutive terms from 1985-1999. He was popularly known as Golconda Simham. Since the constituency was divided and added other areas, the AIMIM has been winning Karwan and emerged as its bastion since 1999.

The constituency has over 2.87 lakh voters and presently comprises historic neighbourhoods Karwan, Golconda, Mustaidpura, Badabanda, Sabzi Mandi, Jhirra and Tolichowki, MD Lane, Jiyaguda, Langar Houz, Shah Hatim Nagar, Mehdipatnam among others.

In 2014 elections, the constituency recorded 55.62 per cent voting with Kausar Mohiuddin of the AIMIM securing 86,391 (54.2 percent) polled votes. He won by a margin of 37,777 votes, while Baddam Bal Reddy of BJP secured 48,614 (30.5 percent) votes, BRS’s T Jeevan Singh got 10,760 (6.7 percent) and INC’s T Roop Singh secured least 6,512 (4.1percent) votes.

In 2018, BJP’s Baddam Reddy fielded from Rajendranagar constituency and T Amar Singh filed his nomination from Karwan. Osman Bin Mohammad Al-Hajri of the INC who has been an active member of the Old City Metro Rail JAC and worked for saving Wakf Properties in historic areas and LubnaSarwath of the Socialist Party were among candidates.

As many as 21 candidates were the contenders for the elections in 2018 from Karwan. In 2018, AIMIM’s KausarMohiudidn won with 87,586 votes (52.88 percent), BJP’s Amar Singh stood second with 37,417 votes (22.59 percent), BRS’s T Jeevan Kumar gets 24,699 votes (14.91 percent) and INC’s candidate Osman Bin Mohammed Al Hajri got 11,231 votes (6.78 percent).

The two contestants from BJP and BRS are trying their best to beat the MIM in their dominant constituency.

With the AIMIM making its seven constituencies as its fortress including Karwan, which is one of the biggest constituencies in Greater Hyderabad, the party has covered Hyderabad’s historic precinct, and no other candidates are ready to face challenges to win the precinct.

Public transport remains one of the biggest issues in the constituency with limited Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) services connectivity. Most of the transport needs are being fulfilled by shared auto services, which are risky for the commuters.