Elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) were marred by violence, with the Congress claiming its leaders were beaten up by activists of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which is headed by Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
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AIMIM party workers and leaders ran amok on Tuesday across the Old City attacking leaders of various parties including Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali’s son Azam Ali and senior Congress leaders Uttam Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, and Ram Mohan Reddy. They alleged that Asaduddin Owaisi himself led a group of almost 200 “goons” and roamed around the Old City on bikes. “We demand immediate arrest of all those who were involved in this attack”, he said in a series of tweets. The police directed Reddy and other Congress leaders back into the police station and lathi-charged the crowd.
Several AIMIM workers led by Owaisi arrived at the police station and a heated argument led to the incident. He said that the MIM leaders were allowed to violate the Model Code of Conduct since morning. The contesting candidates in other division were not allowed to enter the polling stations while MIM workers were given a free hand to rig the polls.
Mr Ali, Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council, had yesterday filed a case against Mr Owaisi and his followers for allegedly attacking him in Mirchowk area.
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Reports said they attacked Reddy’s auto and damaged its window panes and manhandled Shabbir, who received injuries including one near his eye.
